


Danganronpa V3: Fairytale AU

by NayeGrey



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy (kind of), Gen, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, In accordance with the fairy tale, Many Plot Contrivances, Very loosely based off fairy tales, minor original characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-28
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2019-10-10 22:34:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 45,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17434748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NayeGrey/pseuds/NayeGrey
Summary: When everyone in town suddenly falls asleep, it is up to those still awake to get things back to normal. Follow them as they run into notorious criminals, witches, royalty, and more![Just a heads up if you didn't read the tags, but Kaede won't appear much in this story. Sorry about that.]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Navy Blue Riding Hood: Monokuma Narration Edition](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15078347) by [AnimeGirlAnn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnimeGirlAnn/pseuds/AnimeGirlAnn). 



 

            "The cloak suits you," Shuichi's uncle said. "Just don't wear it once your inside the castle. It'd be suspicious-looking."

            "Of course," Shuichi said, fiddling around with the end of the cloak. It really was well-made. His uncle had sewn it for him on his birthday a couple months ago, and Shuichi had taken to wearing it daily. It was a dark-blue color, kind of like the night sky. It was his and his uncle's favorite color. A bit impractical because of the warm climate, but it was the sentiment that counted. Besides, it helped him avoid eye contact with people.

            "Anyways, are you sure you don't want to come, uncle?"

            "As much as I'd like to, I've got a lot of cases to solve. But you go ahead and enjoy yourself, son." Shuichi's heart warmed up at the word 'son.' His parents had died in a fire while they were traveling from inn to inn, his father playing guitar while his mother sang. His uncle was the only family member he had left. While aloof, he meant well, and the times the two mulled over cases together were the best moments of Shuichi's life. 

            "Though," his uncle continued. "before you go, mind buying some food from the village? You'll be at the castle for a while, right?" His uncle was of course referring to the piano concert Princess Kaede would be holding for everyone, towns person and noble alike.

            "Yeah, 'til around six. Some bread, fish, and fruit, right?" His uncle nodded, fishing money out from his satchel as Shuichi got two straw baskets. Holding them in one hand, Shuichi grabbed the money and said bye to his uncle before heading out. As expected, it was sweltering, even underneath the leaves of the forest. His uncle liked living in peace like this, and Shuichi agreed. Listening to the birds and leaves was a calming experience. And their cabin wasn't far away from the town-- right near the walls, actually. He wondered how the guards can stand being out in the sun like that. All that armor probably wasn't comfortable in the heat. 

            The guards were friendly enough with Shuichi. Some told him the latest news in the village, sometimes even giving him cases. Others just stood there stoically, nodding to him in acknowledgement and letting him through the gates. Whatever the case may be, they certainly didn't lay on the ground unconscious. The baskets he was holding dropped to the ground as he ran toward the nearest guard and felt for a pulse. He sighed in relief when he did. Going around to all the guards yielded the same result. Shuichi tried nudging them awake, but with no luck. Panic threatened to overwhelm him as he stared at the open gates. What if the person who did this was in the town right now? Maybe there were multiple people. Would they harm someone? What if they saw him? 

_Calm down, Shuichi. Breathe. If there really are intruders in the village, you can't deal with them yourself. They probably don't want to kill anyone, seeing as how the guards are still alive. No sign of a struggle either. Ambush maybe? But the guards seem unharmed. No dent in their armor too. It almost looks like they're sleeping. Could Robin Hood have anything to do with this?_

            Darn it. He shouldn't be spacing out. What if the intruders came back? For now, he probably should investigate. Find out what those people wanted. Steeling his nerves, Shuichi pressed his back against the stone wall, inching his way toward the gate, unprepared for the sight in front of him. Everyone in the town was slumped on the ground, like everyone fell asleep at the same time. As Shuichi tried to process what was going on, he heard footsteps approach him. 

            "Bro? What's going on? Why're all the guards knocked out? You didn't do anything, did you?!" It was Kaito Momota, self-proclaimed Luminary of the Stars and Shuichi's best friend. Judging from the sticks in his hands, he was gathering firewood in the forest.

            "I have no idea. I was just going to shop for food when I found them like this. It's like everyone became unconscious all of a sudden."

            "Everyone?" Kaito said as he joined Shuichi in the town. He gasped. "What the... you don't think a g-gh-ghost did this, do you?" Kaito's face was blue now, sweat dripping down his face. Despite the unsettling circumstances, Shuichi couldn't help but laugh. Classic Kaito. "What's so funny?!" Kaito demanded, at which Shuichi just laughed even harder. Eventually he calmed down enough to answer.

            "I don't think a ghost caused all this," Shuichi said, gesturing at the unconscious masses. "Though it doesn't seem like it was caused by normal means. For now, let's just look to see if anyone's awake."

            "That's my sidekick!" Kaito gave said sidekick a hefty pat on the back. "Come to think of it, why are we still awake anyway?"

            Shuichi put a hand to his mouth, deep in thought. Kaito raised a valid point. "Maybe," he said cautiously, "it's because we were away from the town? Me and my uncle live a bit into the woods, and you were off gathering firewood just now, right?"

            "How did you know that? Never mind, it's probably thanks to your detectivey skills."

            _Detectivey skills?_ "Anyways, we won't know more if we don't investigate. Let's try to look for any clues and see if there're others who are awake."  _Though I doubt anyone is_.

            "Gotcha. Meet back here when we're done?"

            "Sounds like a plan." With that, the two split up, Kaito going left, Shuichi right. 

            They rendezvoused in about ten minutes, none of them finding anything. No one seemed to be awake either. 

            Kaito widened his eyes. "Do you think Maki Roll and your uncle are okay?"

            "I hope so..." Shuichi said with more conviction than he felt. "We should go check on them, just in case."

            "Yeah. Let's meet up at your cabin then. Seems like the safest place."

            "Okay. Be careful, alright?"

            "You too, bro. Just scream if you get into any trouble. The Luminary of the Stars will save you in a jiffy!"

            Shuichi ran to his uncle with a smile. He was so glad Kaito was there with him. Still, the unease he felt when discovering the guards lingered. Who could've caused all this anyway? This probably all started this morning, since everyone was still awake and moving yesterday. 

            Suddenly a figure appeared in his way, causing Shuichi to skid to a halt. They both screamed upon laying eyes on each other. The person seemed female, though it was hard to tell with the cloak around them. The cloak itself was well sewn, made of luscious blue silk, though the shade was lighter than Shuichi's. 

            "Who are you?" Shuichi asked. "What are you doing here?"

            "I-I'm just a plain old seamstress gathering supplies from the woods. I heard that this forest's spiders spin some of the most softest threads in the kingdom. Sorry for rambling by the way! You probably don't want to listen to plain old me talk all day, do you."

            "No, i-- it's fine. Sorry for asking you so many questions." Shuichi averted his gaze to the ground. "By the way, do you know what's going on in the town?" He explained what happened to all the townspeople, causing the girl to gasp. At least, the figure sounded like a girl.

            "That's just plain terrible! It sounds like something straight out of a play. Oh, I can't believe I haven't introduced myself yet. That was just plain rude of me. I'm Tsumugi Shirogane, the royal seamstress." Tsumugi took her hood off, revealing a shock of long blue hair and a pair of glasses.

            Shuichi widened his eyes. "The royal seamstress?! I-I'm so sorry for my rudeness, I assure you I meant nothing by it. I'm Shuichi Saihara by the way."

            "Nice to meet you, Shuichi. No need to worry about being polite; someone as plain as me doesn't deserve it."  _She really likes the word plain,_ Shuichi thought. "By the way, you were running pretty fast back there. Where were you going?"

            "Uncle! Sorry, Tsumugi, but I have to check on my uncle." With that, Shuichi ran off.

            "Wait! I'll come with you," Tsumugi shouted, sprinting up to Shuichi. He gave no indication of hearing her.

            They made it to Shuichi's cabin in no time, the door of it wide open. Shuichi was sure that he had locked it on the way out.They burst inside, finding Shuichi's uncle unconscious on the floor. Shuichi immediately grabbed his wrist, checking for a pulse. He not only found one, but he also noticed something like a puncture wound on his uncle's index finger. It was so tiny Shuichi had to narrow his eyes to see it. He figured it was probably just a paper cut from the case files-- his uncle got those a lot. But something still felt off about it.

            "Is he, you know..." Tsumugi said, interrupting the tense silence.

            "He's still alive. Looks like he's just sleeping." The duo let out a breath neither of them were aware of, Tsumugi walking into the cabin.

            "That's good. What could've happened to him though? This is just plain weird."

            "I don't know. Mind checking out the cabin with me? We might find some clues."

            Tsumugi agreed, and they started searching the cabin head to toe. Shuichi burned with a raging passion. Whoever did this to his uncle had just crossed a line. No way was he letting the culprit get away with hurting his only family. Shuichi surveyed the room. Case files were strewn on the coffee table, along with a piece of parchment. Messy handwriting decorated the piece of paper, an ink-dipped feather laying next to it. 

             _Robin Hood, bakery theft, sleep machines?_ Shuichi read the contents of the paper, scrunching his brows together.  _Is Robin Hood somehow related to whatever's happening?  Why couldn't you be a bit more specific, uncle?_  

            Robin Hood, named after the infamous character himself, was the mysterious leader of a group of criminals. No one knew how many people were in the group. All they knew was that this band of criminals were unpredictable, cunning, and dangerous. Most of Shuichi and his uncle's cases revolved around mischief caused by them. What was weird was that the crimes only affected the nobility and such. Stolen hoards of money were donated to orphanages, bread was given to starving people. This caused a split in the public opinion. Most people revered them as heroes; others saw them as nothing more than petty thieves. The Saiharas were pretty indifferent about them; while they helped the common people, they were still lawbreakers. As detectives, it was their job to find the truth, nothing more. Besides, other than those instances of generosity, most of the time 'Robin Hood and his merry men' only did what they did to cause mischief. They were truly an enigma. His uncle had been investigating a recent bakery theft by them, hence the brief notes. But what was that about sleep machines? Shuichi made a mental note to investigate that later. For now, it seemed like Robin Hood was the best lead he had. 

            Further investigation didn't yield too much. The only thing of note was that the floor seemed a bit cleaner than usual. Tsumugi reported that she hadn't found anything either. 

            Shuichi organized the info in his head. Tiny prick on his uncle's left index finger, slightly cleaner floor, opened locked door, Robin Hood. He sighed. This case was going to take a while, wasn't it?

            He pocketed his uncle's note; despite the brevity, it was his only lead. For now, meeting back up with Tsumugi should be his top priority.

            The girl walked back empty-handed, saying she didn't find anything. Shuichi told her of his uncle's note and the oddly cleaned floor. "Though my uncle probably just cleaned the house before this happened."

            "You're probably right. Anyways, you think Robin Hood might be behind this?"

            "Yeah. I have no idea what my uncle means by 'sleep machines,' but seeing as how everyone looks like they fell asleep at the same time, they're probably connected."

            "Why does your uncle have notes on Robin Hood, anyway? Almost seems like he's a detective."

            "He is. He was investigating a recent bakery theft before this."

            "Guess that explains how smart you are," Tsumugi said as Shuichi blushed. "No wonder you were able to find such an important clue!"

            "For n-now we should just wait here. I promised to meet up with a friend here. Hopefully he's found something," Shuichi said nervously, pulling his hood down. He really wasn't good at taking compliments. He thought he didn't deserve them, especially after that case... No, he should focus on the situation at hand. For now, all he could do was wait for Kaito.

* * *

 

            "MAKI ROLL!" Kaito yelled desperately as he rushed toward their farm on the outskirts of town. Maki, despite her cold attitude, was Kaito's beloved cousin. If anything happened to her, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.

            Maki grumbled at the loud voice, though Kaito was still pretty far away. What was he doing without firewood anyway? It should've been a simple task even an idiot could do. Maybe Maki had overestimated his intelligence. Before she could think of more ways to insult Kaito, she was tackled into a very forceful hug.

            "You're okay! I was so worried!" Kaito said, squeezing her tight.

            "Do you wanna die?" Maki said, punching Kaito in the gut.

            "Hey! No need to be that violent. I was actually worried!"

            "Why? And more importantly, what happened to the firewood you said you'd get?" Maki glared at him, demanding answers.

            "S-sorry Maki Roll," Kaito said, unnerved by her glare. "but we have a genuine emergency here. Everyone in town's unconscious! Even the guards are knocked out."

            Maki stared at him with suspicion. Kaito could be stupid, but he'd never lie about something like that, no matter how outrageous it sounded. "Do you know what happened?" 

            "Not a clue, but I ran into Shuichi on the way here, and we decided to meet at his place. Maybe's he's found some clues?"

            "Knowing him, he probably has."  _More so than a certain idiot anyways._ "Let's go then," Maki declared, briskly walking toward the Saihara Cabin. She had been there many times before with Kaito, hanging out with them and having a good time. She at first thought Shuichi was just some wimpy kid who didn't look like he could lift a sack of potatoes, but after he helped Kaito and her find their missing cow, she realized how reliable he could be. At the thought of Milky Way, her mood soured. The cow had been unable to produce any more milk, causing Maki to force Kaito to sell it. She was busy at the time, hunting for food in the forest like she always did. Little did she know how stupid it was to entrust Kaito with their financial needs. When a grinning Kaito came back, she had expected a small pouch of gold in his hand at the very least. Not some stupid magical beans. Kaito dejectedly planted the useless beans as Maki scolded him for being a scatterbrained moron. They were probably still underground, seeing as how that fiasco happened two days ago.

            They made it to the town's outer walls in no time. Maki stopped moving at the sight of the unconscious guards. "You're sure they aren't dead?"

            "Shuichi said they weren't, so it must be true. It's still weird though."

            "Should we move them somewhere else? Leaving them out here with potential attackers could be dangerous."

            "Good idea, Maki Roll! How 'bout in the inn?" Maki nodded and proceeded to lifting one of the guards on her shoulder with ease. Kaito did the same, though struggled a lot more.  _For the idiot who forces us to work out every night, he sure is weak._  As Maki set foot into the town, a loud voice rang from behind her.

            "I didn't expect to meet other criminals here! Tell me, how did you kill all~ those guards?"

            Kaito dropped the guard he was holding in surprise. "Whoa, careful there!" said the voice. "You could've totally injured him just then. What kind of law-abiding citizens are you?"

            "Didn't you just call us criminals?" Maki wondered, setting the guard down gently so she could turn around.

            "Did I? Huh, guess I forgot. Or is that a lie?" the voice proceeded to giggle. Maki could tell she was not going to like this person. Her feelings solidified as she turned and got a good look at the person. It was a small boy, probably around their age. He had spiky purple hair that flowed out to the sides and wore a strange white uniform with a checkered scarf, along with a mask on his face. The sly grin on his face perfectly matched the wanted posters all over the town. 

            "You're Robin Hood, right?" Maki said. 

            "Robin Hood?!" exclaimed Kaito. "So you're the bastard behind this then?"

            "Gee~, took you long enough. Yes, I, the great Robin Hood, am behind murdering all the town guards!"

            "They're still alive," Maki deadpanned. Her hand hovered above her pocket, ready to draw her knife in case anything happened. While Robin Hood's crimes were mostly non-violent, he was still a criminal, and not to be trusted.

            "Of course I knew that. I'm the culprit after all! Though, mind telling me what you're gonna do with all those dead weights?"

            "None of your business. Let's just go, Kaito."

            "Alright," Kaito said, walking toward the nearest inn.

            "A-are you just going to ignore me? How mean!" Robin Hood then burst into a fountain of tears. 

            "This... is not what I expected," Kaito said.

            "Just ignore him," Maki advised. She had already set one guard down in the inn and was coming back for another one.

            Seeing that he was being ignored, Robin Hood stopped the waterworks. "At least let me join in on the fun!" he said, running up to carry a guard. Maki shot him a death glare. Robin Hood deigned to ignore it and attempted to lift a guard twice his size, failing miserably in the process. "Mind giving your pal a little help?" Robin Hood joked, struggle evident in his voice. 

            Maki sighed and hoisted the guard onto her free shoulder. "I'm not doing this for you."

            "So Ms. No Nonsense  _does_ have a nice side! Who would've guessed?"

            "Don't call me that."

            "Yeah, her name's Maki Roll, you jerk," Kaito said, coming back from the inn. If not for the guards she was carrying, Maki would've face-palmed right then and there.

            "Maki Roll, huh? I'm gonna call you that from now on!"

            "Don't you dare," Maki threatened.

            And that was how the three spent the morning: Maki and Kaito carrying guards to and fro as Robin Hood annoyed them to death. Weirdly enough, Robin Hood didn't interfere with the guards, which was strange if he was the culprit. "Let's just go meet up with Shuichi now," Maki said, clutching her head in pain.

            "Good idea, Maki Roll," Kaito groaned.

            "Oh? Who's this Shuichi you guys are talking about? Is he a criminal too?" Robin Hood said, promptly ignored by the cousins as they briskly walked into the woods. As Robin Hood called after them to wait, Maki grabbed Kaito's hand and started sprinting down the path, obscured by the trees.

            "Buzzkills," Robin Hood murmured as he idly strode after them. 

             

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! If you made it this far, then I want to thank you for reading this. This is my first fic on AO3, so it's probably rough around the edges. Feel free to leave a comment down below. Thanks for reading!
> 
> (Also, Maki and Kaito are cousins, cous why not? (I'm sorry))


	2. Chapter 2

            Tsumugi and Shuichi had just been sitting in silence when Maki burst through the door, Kaito in tow. Tsumugi squeaked at the abrupt entrance.

            "Who's this, Shuichi?" Maki asked, straight to the point.

            "Oh, um, this is Tsumugi Shirogane. She was in the woods looking for some silk when I bumped into her."

            "In the woods? That's pretty suspicious. You sure you can trust her?" Maki asked.

            "I assure you that plain old me is anything but suspicious," Tsumugi said.

            "Geez Maki Roll, you should try being a little more trusting. Tsumugi seems like a good person, and you know my intuition's never wrong!" Kaito said loudly. "I'm Kaito Momota by the way! And that's my cousin, Maki. Feel free to call her Maki Ro--"

            "Just Maki is fine," Maki interrupted.

            "Well, it's nice to meet you, Maki and Kaito," Tsumugi said politely.

            Shuichi cleared his throat. "Sorry to interrupt, but have you guys found anything new?"

            "Right! Well, I have good news for ya bro. I found the bastard that did this!" Kaito then recounted their meeting with Robin Hood, Maki chipping in here and there. After Shuichi got over the fact that his friends met a notorious criminal, he told them about his uncle’s notes and his meeting with Tsumugi. Kaito was instantly starstruck at meeting the royal seamstress, though Maki made sure to keep him in line.

            "So Robin Hood really was behind this after all!" Kaito exclaimed, his fists together. "The Luminary of the Stars will make him pay!"

            "But wouldn't it be strange if he really was the culprit?" Shuichi said. "Earlier you mentioned him saying he murdered the guards, right? Wouldn't he know that they were alive if he did this?"

            "He was probably just messing around," Maki said. "Moving on, is your uncle okay?"

            "He's fine. Just sleeping, like everyone else..." Shuichi said.

            "Huh, sleeping?" Maki continued after a brief pause. "You said you met Tsumugi in the woods, right?" Shuichi nodded. "Then we can assume anyone not near the town is still awake."

            Now it was Tsumugi's turn to pipe up. "Then isn't it plain strange that Shuichi's uncle is asleep?"

            "You're right," Kaito said, brows scrunched together. "Ya think Robin Hood made him fall asleep? It'd be awfully convenient for him if the detective jus' happened to be unconscious."

            "That is the smartest thing to ever come out of your mouth," Maki gawked. 

            "So what should we do now?" Tsumugi said as Kaito opened his mouth to retort. "We can't exactly go against a criminal. We're just some plain teenagers after all."

            "Maybe we could restrain him somehow?" Shuichi suggested. "Even if he is a criminal, he's our only lead right now." The four then attempted to brainstorm ideas to capture Robin Hood. They were so engrossed they didn't notice a purple-haired boy sneak into the cabin.

            "BOO!" Robin Hood said, causing everyone to jump. All of a sudden Robin Hood felt himself slam into the wall, a hand around his neck. 

            "He's restrained," Maki said simply.

            "Nice to see you too," Robin Hood said, voice hoarse. 

            "Answer me honestly or die," Maki seethed, grabbing her knife out of her pocket.

            The first to snap out of their shock was Shuichi, who immediately spoke. "Wait, Maki! Let him down. You're gonna kill him at this rate."

            "Yeah, listen to handsome emo boy over there," Robin Hood taunted. "I can't exactly answer your questions when I'm choking to death now, can I?" Maki shot him her most deadly glare before letting him go, clutching her knife tighter.

            "Try anything funny and your dead."

            "Yeah, yeah, I got that, Maki Roll." He smirked at Maki, rubbing his neck gently. "So, whatcha gonna interrogate me on? I can only answer three of your questions though."

            "Why three?" Tsumugi wondered.

            "I'm a genie, of course! Gee, you guys are dumb." Robin Hood inspected his nails idly.

            "Cut the bullshit, just tell us what you did to everyone!" Kaito demanded.

            "I have  _no~_ idea what your talking about," Robin Hood said, dragging out the no obnoxiously. "Are you talking about the time I summoned a ghost to possess everyone in town? Ah, sweet memories."

            That caused Kaito to freak out, Robin Hood taking the chance to add fuel to the fire. He wouldn't shut up even after Maki held a knife to his throat. Sensing that the situation was out of control, Shuichi and Tsumugi tried to calm everyone down. It took a while, but by some miracle they succeeded.

            Shuichi tried to interrogate Robin Hood again, with the same results. Robin Hood kept riling up Kaito and Maki with each question Shuichi asked, babbling nonsense.

             _Is he really the culprit?_ Shuichi wondered through his newfound headache.  _From what we've seen, everything he says has some purpose, even if it is just to get people mad. If that's the case, why would he say he murdered the guards? To confuse them? Come to think of it, why would he expose himself by coming to the town anyways? And why didn't he make Maki and Kaito fall asleep? It should've been easy if he knocked a whole town unconscious. And if he did do this to my uncle, then why did he come back here?_  

            One thing was clear: they'd never get a straight answer out of Robin Hood. Meaning they'd have to play it smart. As Shuichi looked Robin Hood up and down, he noticed how frayed his uniform was. While it was fairly clean, the uniform had some dirt here and there, along with some holes.

            "Like what you see?" Robin Hood said knowingly. Shuichi felt his face heat up. 

            "No! I mean, yes! Huh? Um..."  _Calm down, Shuichi. He's just trying to distract you._ He cleared his throat. "I just noticed how worn your clothes seem."

            "Observant are we? Yeah, not really fitting for a person as great as me. Oh well, at least they're better than Kaito's!" An idea started to form in Shuichi's mind as Kaito and Robin Hood got into yet another argument. 

            "Yeah, they aren't," Shuichi agreed. Robin Hood stopped his banter with Kaito. "Lucky that we have the royal seamstress here, huh?" Understanding dawned in Tsumugi's face.

            "I don't lend my services for free, you know? Though I might make an exception right now."

            "And what might this exception be?" Robin Hood asked. Shuichi gulped. What if his gamble didn't work? They'd be back to square one.  _No, it has to work. If you fail you can just try something else._

            "Would a bit of info work for you, Tsumugi?" Shuichi said, to which Tsumugi responded with a nod. 

            "Give us the information we want, and I'll make you a uniform befitting of a great villain such as yourself. Not a bad deal, right?"

            Robin Hood put a finger to his chin, dramatically deliberating over the deal. During the silence, Kaito shot them a thumbs up while Maki nodded in acknowledgement.

            "Think you can bribe me with clothes huh?" Robin Hood said as Shuichi's hopes were crushed. "Well let me be the first to tell you that that will absolutely work." Everyone in the room gaped at him.

            "So... you accept?" Shuichi asked.

            "That's what I just said. Though if your gonna make demands, then I get to too!"

            "What do you want?" Maki sighed.

            "First off, you'll work with me to wake everyone up. And second, you won't turn me into the authorities. Sweet deal huh?"

            "No way we'd agree to that! Besides, there aren't authorities to turn you in to anyway," Kaito said. "And why would you want everyone awake? Wouldn't this be exactly what a gremlin like you'd want?

            "I'm offended, Kaito! You really think so low of me?" Robin Hood burst into tears no one bought. He stopped immediately and smiled as if nothing happened. "Anyways, of course I want everyone awake. Right now they're just a bunch of dead rocks that won't even do anything if I set the town on fire."

            "That makes sense, I guess," Shuichi said, trying not to think of a certain inn in flames. "Well, if everyone else is on board, then we can accept your deal."

            Tsumugi gave her approval pretty easily, though Maki and Kaito grumbled a lot before they accepted as well. 

            "Well then, my merry men, let us journey forth!" Robin Hood said dramatically.

            "Why are you the leader?!" Kaito said.

            "What? Did Kaito wanna play leader? Well too bad! You're too dumb anyways. You should be glad to be serving such an ultimate supreme leader!"

            "What do we do now?" Maki said, keeping them back on track. "We can't just sit here bickering all day."

            "Glad you asked, Maki Roll!" Robin Hood said mockingly. "So, my merry men, as our next course of action, we shall go to Akamatsu Castle!"

            "We aren't your damn underlings!" Kaito said. "And why the castle? Sounds like a waste of time."

            "That's actually not a bad idea," Shuichi said, hand over his mouth. "Out of all the people here, the person-- or people-- that did this would most likely target the Akamatsu's, seeing as how they're royalty and all. And even if they didn't go there, Akamatsu Castle has a large library, so maybe we could find some more clues there."

            "Nice to know that  _one_ of you is smarter than a donkey," Robin Hood said, already out the door. "I just hope you guys aren't as slow as one." He skipped away happily as they all ran after him. 

            "Hey, uh, Robin Hood--"

            "Kokichi."

            "Huh?"

            "My name, you dimwit. And here I thought you were actually smart, Shuichi."

            "Why would you even give us your name?" Maki asked.

            "As members of my merry band, you get the privilege of knowing. And don't compare me to that fictional character. I'm a way~ better criminal than he could ever be!" 

            "Anyways, Kokichi, where are we going? This isn't the way to Akamatsu Castle."

            "We're gonna go meet my other subordinates of course! Can't leave them hanging." Even though I really want to, was the thought that went unsaid.

            The rest of the walk proceeded as smoothly as their conversation in the cabin. Maki became closer to murder with every Maki Roll that left Kokichi's mouth; Kaito's face was as pale as the ghosts he was convinced lurked the woods; Shuichi and Tsumugi were about to die from migraines. Shuichi was starting to doubt whether they'd save everyone by the time they finished murdering each other. To distract himself from the chaos, he decided to focus on their surroundings instead.

            Despite constantly exploring the woods in his free time, Shuichi didn't recognize where they were. They'd only been walking for about ten minutes, so they couldn't be too far from his cabin. As he thought back to his home, he started to wonder whether leaving his uncle there was a good idea. The others tried to assure him he'd be safe, but the pit in his stomach wouldn't go away.  _Stay focused, Shuichi._ As expected, trees surrounded them everywhere, only letting a few beams of sun through. The light reflected beautifully off the colorful flowers on the bushes, which Tsumugi took to putting in her cloak when she found one she liked. Shuichi could almost believe that he was just taking a walk with his friends. His peaceful thoughts were interrupted by an obnoxious voice going "Why did you bring a bunch of sluts here, you little shit?"

            "That's no way to treat your new teammates, Miu! Though I suppose a whore like you wouldn't know anything about courtesy."

            "Like you're one to talk, you shitty gremlin."

            "What did we get ourselves into?" Kaito whispered to Shuichi, to which Shuichi shrugged helplessly. 

            "So you're the new recruits huh?" said a deep voice. Everyone jumped at the newcomer, Maki only twitching slightly. "You've still got a ways to go if you're that jumpy." Glancing down revealed an extremely short boy? Man? He wore a dark uniform the complete opposite of Kokichi's, with a beanie that had horns sticking up on both ends. He had what looked like a cigar in his mouth.  "Name's Ryoma."

            Remembering his manners, Shuichi quickly introduced himself, with everyone else following suit. Shuichi tried introducing himself to Miu too, though he received a lot of profanities, which caused Kaito to scold Miu for her behavior. Unlike with Kokichi, she cowered and stroked a strand of her hair at the criticism.

            "Now that we're done with all the boring stuff, let's go assassinate the king!" Kokichi said, as if he were asking them to go on a picnic. Miu stopped her cowering and gave him an incredulous look. 

            "Wha-- we're not doing that, you bastard!" Kaito said.

            "Who's the leader again? If I say we're gonna kill the queen, we're killing the queen,"

            "No one ever made you leader! And didn't you say you wanted to kill the king?"

            Shuichi groaned. They were getting nowhere like this. Kokichi and Kaito were bad enough on their own, but combined with Miu, they were doomed. And Ryoma clearly didn't want to be involved, meaning it was up to him, Tsumugi, and Maki to take charge. Sadly for him, Tsumugi was slowly backing away from the others, her face pleading for Shuichi to do something, while Maki looked like she'd rather murder them all than try to calm them down. It was all up to Shuichi now-- he was hoping it wouldn't have come to that.

            What should he do anyway? It wasn't like he was a leader or anything. Shy and quiet, yes, but charismatic and assertive? Forget it. Every fiber of his being told him that he couldn't do it, but he knew he had to. Who else was going to wake everyone up? Shuichi took a deep breath. 

            "Uh, guys..." His quiet voice was drowned by the sounds of arguing. He tried being louder, but still no one heard him. With each pathetic attempt he gave, his patience grew thinner and thinner until...

            "WILL YOU ALL JUST SHUT UP AND LISTEN?!" That got everyone's attention. The adrenaline rush dropped just as quickly as it came, with Shuichi pulling his hood down nervously. "Sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to yell." When no one said anything, he continued. "An-anyways, can we focus on investigating Akamatsu Castle, if that's alright?"  _Great job being assertive, Shuichi_ , he chided himself.

            Everyone looked down in shame, with the exception of Kokichi who just had a blank look on his face. Ryoma asked why they were investigating Akamatsu Castle, getting the conversation back on track. Before Kokichi could derail everything again, Maki cut in and briefly explained the situation, earning bewildered looks from Miu and Ryoma. This was the kind of nonsense they expected from Kokichi, but certainly not from someone like Maki. 

            "Anywho, now that you losers are all caught up, let's go already!" Kokichi said.

            "Wait, I never agreed to this--"

            "Aw, why not Miu? You might find the parts to that machine of yours you're workin' on." Miu stopped protesting and started daydreaming, drool coming out of her mouth. Whatever she was thinking about, the others definitely did not want to know.

            "And what about you, chibi?" Kokichi asked Ryoma.

            Ryoma scowled at the nickname. "I don't care. If you're gonna go, then I guess I'll go too."

            "Great! I knew I could count on my most faithful henchman!" 

            With that, the group came together with the objective of saving the town. Whether or not the socially awkward teenagers would be able to do that was quite questionable, but they were the town's only hope. Honestly, the town might as well be screwed. Thoughts like these ran in everyone but Miu, Kaito, and Kokichi's heads as they all walked toward the open gates.

* * *

 

            It took around twenty minutes of agony to reach the castle, but they somehow survived. The palace was gigantic, the tips of the towers almost piercing the clouds. Most of it was a black silhouette against the summer sky. The metal portcullis was wide open, in preparation for Princess Kaede's piano concert. A look beyond the castle walls revealed a scene as dead as the town, with people laying on the ground motionless. There was a gardener holding shears, no doubt just tending the foliage before-- whatever happened. The guards were piles of metal on the dirt, weapons strewn everywhere.

            The seven of them nervously entered the castle, expecting some kind of ambush. Instead they were greeted with halls adorned with violet banners, crystal chandeliers hanging daintily from the ceiling. The scene would've been magical, if not for the people laying everywhere on the floor. Careful not to step on any of them (except for Kokichi, who seemed to take pleasure in leaping over the bodies), the party took to exploring the castle, with Shuichi, Miu, and Tsumugi checking the west side, and Maki, Kaito, and Ryoma checking the right. Kokichi just did whatever he wanted, whether that be by annoying everyone or playing with things that caught his fancy.

            Tsumugi said she'd check on the royal chambers, to make sure the Akamatsus were safe. Shuichi decided to check the library for info on the Mass Sleep, as the group deemed it. Meaning Miu was left to look for parts for her machine, drooling as she went. 

            Browsing the millions of books in the castle library, Shuichi wished he had the time to read them all, but he had a job to do. But where to start? Their situation wasn't exactly normal. Wandering between the towering shelves, a book labeled  _Potions for the Aspiring_ _Witch_  caught his eye. His uncle had always been skeptical of the supernatural, and that had rubbed off Shuichi. Still, it was worth giving a look, right? Removing the book off the shelf revealed a very dusty cover, seemingly untouched for years. While many questions about what a book like this was doing here ran through his head, Shuichi ignored them all and leafed through the pages. Wart potions, love potions, poison-- nothing that helped. Shuichi scrunched his face at the increasingly disturbing ingredients for each potion. As he kept looking, a page titled  _Night-Night Potion_ piqued his interest. Apparently it could put a person to sleep for a couple hours. The recipe was for one dose only, and the ingredients seemed really hard to get. When made, the concoction would apparently be a pale green, smelling a bit like tea. There was no way someone could have made enough for a whole kingdom.  _Unless_ _..._ his mind said as he looked at the next page. The Enhancer Potion, capable of increasing a potion's effects. Enhancements include the strength, duration, and range of the potion. Extent depends on dosage.  _Bingo._

            Now how to reverse the effects? The book had a counter potion for everything listed in it, but the ingredients were foreign to Shuichi. Still, it was an important lead. Folding the corner of the page, he closed it and held it to his chest, walking out of the library. Scanning the hallway, he decided to go to the dining room next door. Like all the other rooms, it was lavishly furnished, with people unconscious everywhere. The banquet tables were filled with untouched food. In the middle of the grand room stood a grand piano to match, polished to perfection. He wondered what the room would be like with music. Princess Kaede's skills were legendary, moving even the toughest of hearts, so the rumors say. 

            "Checking out the dining room too?" Tsumugi said suddenly. He jumped as Tsumugi entered the dining hall, apologizing for scaring him. She looked curiously at his book.

            "Ah, I found it in the library. I think it might be a lead."

            "A book on potions, huh? I never thought to look for that. Still, just 'cause this situation's plain weird doesn't mean it was caused by magic, right?"

            "Maybe, but absurd as it sounds, we can't rule out the possibility." 

            Tsumugi thought for a bit, then nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you're right. Anyways, let's check the dining hall. Maybe whoever did this came in here and poisoned the food or something."

            "Maybe," Shuichi echoed as they got to work. The two idly talked as they investigated, Shuichi asking questions about the castle to which Tsumugi answered enthusiastically. When he broached the topic of Princess Kaede, her mood fell, though she still kept talking. Apparently Princess Kaede was very kind, always trying to include Tsumugi in everything despite how plain she deemed herself. The princess could light up any room she was in. She was sad that the princess was in such a state, but at least she seemed unharmed. Their conversation ended there. 

            They made quick work of the dining hall, neither yielding any clues. Suddenly the ground started to vibrate, accompanied by a low rumble. It seemed to come from outside. Looking out the window, the two jumped when the rumble became a boom, a gigantic beanstalk sprouting in the distance.

* * *

 

            "I  _told_ you they were magical!" Kaito exclaimed. He had met up with Maki at the drawing room after he didn't find anything in the study. They were talking about their discoveries when the beanstalk shot up. Maki simply gawked at the plant as Kaito smirked triumphantly. 

            "We should totally check it out Maki Roll!" Kaito then dragged Maki by the arm out the castle.

            "Hold on! We still have to search the castle more," Maki said.

            "Just leave that to the others, they'll be fine! And who knows, maybe that beanstalk has an important clue. Didn't Shuichi say something about looking at all possibilities?"

            "I'm pretty sure he didn't mean checking out suspicious plants that may or may not help us," Maki deadpanned.

            Kaito could not be pulled out of his enthusiasm though, so Maki relented and reluctantly went along. On the way out they passed Ryoma, who immediately asked them where they were going. The cousins explained the situation, Kaito offering for Ryoma to tag along. He would've declined, but it was at that moment Kokichi decided to intervene.

            "Why not, chibi? It could be fun!"

            "Shouldn't we focus on waking everyone up?" Ryoma asked.

            "Don't worry, your supreme leader's got that taken care of. Besides, it's the henchman's job to investigate the useless stuff, right?"

            "The beanstalk's not useless!" Kaito said, though he was ignored.

            Ryoma sighed. "Guess it couldn't hurt."

            "Glad to have ya, Ryoma!" Kaito extended a hand which Ryoma shook once.

            "Now then, I'm glad my minions are getting along and all, but I have much more important matters to attend to." With that, Kokichi skipped away to the kitchen.

            Kaito, Maki, and Ryoma walked toward the beanstalk, making small talk along the way. Ryoma explained that Kokichi probably went to the kitchen to find his beloved Panta. Upon getting weird looks from the cousins, he explained that Panta was just a concoction Kokichi and Miu created, made of extremely sweetened grape juice. Being his practical self, Ryoma then asked them about their discoveries at the castle. Kaito explained he hadn't found anything except sleeping people everywhere. It was that way for Maki and Ryoma as well. Kaito then started a passionate discussion on tennis, to which Ryoma briefly joined in here and there. Where he got his knowledge from Ryoma wouldn't say. Maki, deciding that Ryoma wasn't too bad, talked about Kaito's most embarrassing moments to a listening Ryoma; some even got him to chuckle. When the trio got near the beanstalk, she told him of Kaito's bargain.

            "Even if they were magical beans, that was still pretty stupid of you," Ryoma said.

            "At least we've got a lead now right?!" Kaito said to defend himself. The others just stared at him blankly.

            "You're lucky our house is in one piece," Maki said, looking at their tiny farm.

            "I must say, it's a nice-looking place," Ryoma remarked. "Now then, how are we gonna climb this thing?"

            The three looked up at the imposing beanstalk, rising higher than the clouds. Kaito tried jumping on one of the leaves, revealing that they were pretty sturdy. Maki and Ryoma were quick to follow, hopping up the leaves like a game of leap frog. Ryoma was like an actual frog, tiny yet jumping really high. Sometimes he'd soar higher than Kaito. As expected, Kaito was already out of breath while Maki and Ryoma weren't even sweating. Even so, they still had "a long ways to go" before they made it to the top, as Ryoma put it. They stopped midway up to catch their breaths, then continued their steady progress, making it to the top after an hour's worth of jumping.

            At the top was a gigantic farm, not unlike Kaito and Maki's own, with a gigantic house a hundred times the size of them. It was so big Ryoma could probably fit through the crack in the door. As they were contemplating going inside, a hatch near the bottom of the door opened, and out came a muscular man with long green hair. While he was big, he wasn't anywhere near the size of the house. Looking curiously at them through his glasses, he said "Gonta never see big  bugs like you before." The trio stood there owlishly, not knowing what to do. "No matter! Gonta like all bugs, so it is okay! Come here, strange bugs, Gonta no hurt you. Gonta gentleman!"

            "Wha-- hold on man, we're not bugs!" Kaito spluttered.

            "Bugs can talk!" Gonta yelped. "Bug says it's not bug. But if you not bug, what are you?"

            The three started to realize that maybe they shouldn't have come up the beanstalk; they'd had enough weirdness for the day.

            

            

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Sorry if there's too much dialogue, it's something I'm still working on. And I hope I did justice to Miu and Kokichi's characters. Kokichi's... Kokichi and I'm nothing like Miu, so they're probably a bit OOC. I'm hoping to release chapters after around a week, though I'm not promising that they'll be super on time. Anyways, thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

           Miu had just been rummaging through the cellar, checking out all the (questionably) cool equipment there. Who cared if she was supposed to be investigating the castle? She was Miu Iruma, the gorgeous girl genius, and she could do whatever she wanted. She had already placed the parts she was interested in in a wagon she found. It was broken at first, but she fixed it up with her amazing skills. Hah, there was nothing she couldn't do! Looking around the dreary place, she noticed the prisoners behind the dungeon cells dozing soundly. If they were awake, no doubt they'd be vying for her attention, not like she'd give it to them. Definitely not.

            Despite the gloom, she wasn't fazed in the slightest. It might've had something to do with being part of a criminal group. Scanning the dark room, she noticed a strange contraption haphazardly laying on the cobble tiles. Inspecting it further, she noticed it was a spinning wheel, dented as if someone had thrown it. Ideas were already forming in her head on ways to use the machine, some of them very questionable. This was definitely going in the wagon. Since the spinning wheel was quite large, Miu immediately dismantled it for easier transport. While breaking it apart, she noticed a strange stench in the air. At first she assumed it was the dungeon, but it's odor increased when she got to the spindle. Sniffing it, she confirmed that the tea-like smell did indeed come from the spindle. Guess royalty really likes scented spinning wheels. Eh, not like Miu's judging them; she also had her kinks. Part of her wondered whether it was Tsumugi's; even someone as plain as her had to have some quirks. 

            She was jolted out of her thoughts by a massive boom. It sounded like an explosion.

            Hugging the mass of parts in her arms, she walked up the cellar stairs and out into the castle hall to investigate, where she was immediately tackled to the ground.

            "The fuck, Cockichi?!" Miu shouted, already accustomed to his antics. She was met with her leader's signature laugh. 

            "Whatcha doin' with all those things, Miu? Actually, wait, I don't wanna know what weird ideas a whore like you came up with." 

            Normally, Miu would become as meek as a baby with the insult, but months of being around Kokichi have gotten her jaded. ~~Their banter was actually kind of endearing to her~~. "So what did ya do this time?"

            Kokichi feigned offence. "Are you accusing me, Miu?! I thought we were friends!"

            "Over my dead body," Miu spat. "Seriously, though, what was up with that huge-ass explosion?"

            "You see, my dear Miu, I was watering the garden since the plants seemed thirsty when a beanstalk erupted out of the ground!" Kokichi said in a mock-serious voice.

            "Don't fuck with me, Cockichi! What actually happened?"

            "Well~, if you wanna know so badly, you can grovel at my feet like the pig you are or meet me in the great hall!" Kokichi then merrily skipped away, leaving Miu annoyed beyond belief. "Oh yeah!" he called back. "Make sure you bring the junk your holding!"

            Huffing, Miu reluctantly did as Kokichi said.  _This had better be worth it,_ she thought.

            Walking through the grand halls of the castle, she felt as if she was royalty herself. And why wouldn't she? Being the gorgeous girl genius, she only deserved the best. If only her parents had understood that. Once they woke everyone up, Miu would make sure to rub her brilliance in their faces. Chants of "Our savior, the gorgeous girl genius Miu Iruma!" rang in her head as she envisioned herself looming above an adoring crowd, basking in their praise. She was so engrossed in her vision she didn't even notice Shuichi and Tsumugi coming up to her.

            "Uh, Miu?" Shuichi said lamely. 

            "The fuck you want, Pooichi?" Miu snapped.

            "S-sorry! I was just w-wondering about the things you were holding." He decided to ignore the strange nickname.

            "None of your business. Just some spinning wheel I found in the cellar. Man, you won't fucking believe the stuff I found there. I bet you might enjoy some of them, being the virgin you are." Being the guy he was, Shuichi was sure he wouldn't enjoy them, if Miu's waggling eyebrows were anything to go off of. "Lot of kinky stuff there," Miu continued. "Speaking of kinks, scented spindles are weird as fuck, but you do you, Plain Jane."

            "Scented... spindles?" Shuichi asked Tsumugi, to which she gave him a shrug. 

            "Don't worry, your shitty secret's safe with me," Miu said, oblivious to their confusion.

            Even though Shuichi's head was screaming at him that this was a bad idea, he tentatively asked "I'm not sure I want to know, but what did the spindle smell like?"

            "You interested, Pooichi? I can't blame you though, being kinky as hell. Turns out Slutmugi here really likes tea-scented spindles."  _Tea?_   Shuichi wondered, already connecting the pieces.

            "Really Miu, what are you talking about? I don't have scented spindles, just plain ones. And I don't keep my things in the cellar-- that's just plain weird."

             "Whatever you say, _Plain Jane_ ," said Miu mockingly, winking at Tsumugi while she was at it.

             "Um, can we continue this in the great hall? Kokichi's probably already there," Shuichi reminded them.

             "Already sucking up to the shota, huh? Didn't know you had such shitty standards," Miu said, marching off.

             Shuichi sighed. He was already socially awkward, he wasn't sure he could handle someone like Miu. At least Tsumugi was normal.  _I wish Kaito and Maki were here right now. Maybe even Ryoma._  

             The two quickly caught up to Miu and arrived at the great hall in a few minutes, where Kokichi stood proudly above them on a table. The three people he was thinking about weren't there. _I hope they hurry._

             "Now will you finally fucking explain what's happening?!" Miu said.

             "Why of course my loyal Miu! I did promise you after all, and I never,  _ever,_ break my word!" Miu scoffed at the words, and Shuichi couldn't suppress a small huff himself. He only knew the boy for a couple hours yet he was already accustomed to his antics now.

             "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that beanstalk outside, would you?" Shuichi asked.

             "And what makes you say that? Even supreme leaders can't know everything!"

             "Hold up. That shitty story about the beanstalk was  _true_?!" Miu exclaimed.

             "Maybe you should explain everything from the beginning," Tsumugi said.

             Kokichi put a hand to his chest, feigning offense. "I don't take orders from plain old commoners!"

             "Uh, I don't think the royal seamstress could be considered a commoner," Shuichi said.

             "It's alright Shuichi," Tsumugi assured. "I'm so plain I might as well be a commoner."

             "Are we done now?" Kokichi said, yawning. "'Cause your supreme leader has very important things to say." He then launched into a flamboyant account of the situation. Minus the lies and theatrics, it basically amounted to telling them about the beanstalk and how Kaito, Maki, and Ryoma went to check it out, much to Shuichi's dread. "Anyways, now that you idiots finally know what's happening, Miu, hand over that spinning wheel!"

            "Why?!" Miu said, causing Kokichi to impatient hold his arms out. 

            "Just do it already. Or is that too hard to understand for a pig like you?" After firing back a retort, she reluctantly handed the parts over. Upon receiving them, he scrunched up his face, nose twitching. "What the heck did you do to this, Miu? It smells horrible."

            "Why don't you ask Plain Jane over there?" Miu said, jerking her thumb at Tsumugi.

            "For the last time, Miu, I don't have scented spindles."

            "Ugh, whatever. Forget I asked. Anyways, my loyal subjects, what have you found out so far?"

            "You mean... about the Mass Sleep?" Shuichi asked.

            "Is that what we're calling it? Lame name, though I suppose it'll do. Now tell me what you know already!"

            Shuichi told everyone what he found out in the potion book, listing all the attributes of the potential potions used. Miu, after some prompting by Kokichi, revealed what she was doing in the cellar, explaining in some very gratuitous detail; it seemed as if the only thing of note was the tea-scented spindle. Tsumugi didn't seem to have found anything of note, just that everyone including the royal family was unharmed. Kokichi was a bit less direct with his info, but they were mostly able to deduce that Kokichi had just been wandering the castle when he found the kitchen and was looking for his "beloved Panta." Shuichi refused to believe that someone like Kokichi wasted his time on some grape juice; he might've been childish, but there was a reason he was never caught before. Nonetheless, he chose to let it slide, knowing Kokichi wouldn't answer him honestly anyway.

            "Great job, my loyal henchmen! It seems as if the most probable cause would be these potions Shuichi mentioned," Kokichi said, now clearly emulating the voice of a detective. "In which case, the most obvious culprit would be a witch! Probably a warty and green one too."

            "She must be so warty she couldn't get laid so she took it out on the whole fucking kingdom!" Miu cackled. "Talk about petty."

            "How are we supposed to wake everyone up now?" Tsumugi wondered, ignoring Miu. "If we  _are_ dealing with a real witch, it's plain to see that we don't stand a chance."

            "Before we assume that an actual witch did this," Shuichi said. "I have some questions I want to ask you, Kokichi, Miu-- if that's alright that is."

            "Ask away, Detective Jr.!" Kokichi said, to which Shuichi raised a brow. "Of course I know your related to that old geezer. He's been investigating us for months!"

            "Hold up-- you're actually related to that fucking geezer?! Actually, I can see the family resemblance now."

            "I- I don't think my uncle would appreciate being called geezer," Shuichi said somewhat pointlessly. "Um, anyways, uh, while we were at my cabin, we were investigating the place, and we found my uncle's notes on you guys. Th-they mentioned something about your bakery theft and sleep machines?"

            "Oh, those! How's he enjoying them, huh?" Kokichi exclaimed. "He should be grateful we were generous enough to give those to him."

            "Sorry, I have no idea what you're talking about," Shuichi said. "But do those sleep machines have anything to do with what's happening?"

            "Now you're accusing us?! I was nice enough to let you be my henchman  _and_ help you investigate, and this is how you repay me?!" Tears accompanied by obnoxious wailing soon followed, though they were quickly stopped by Shuichi's deadpan expression. "And here I thought you weren't such a stick in the mud. Fine, if you really wanna know so much, ask Miu. She made the machines after all."

            "Fuck yeah I did! Who else would have the genius brains for it?"

            "So what do they do?" Shuichi snapped impatiently. They didn't have time for all this banter.

            Miu flinched at his harsh tone, stroking a strand of her hair nervously. "Hee! Fine, I'll tell you! They were supposed to help your old man with his fucking work and shit. Write and sew while he sleeps."

            "Why would you give him something like that?" Tsumugi wondered. "Isn't he like, your arch nemesis or something? Plainly, it sounds really far-fetched."

            "And are you sure you gave them to him?" Shuichi said. "I didn't see anything like a machine in our cabin. For all we know, you could be lying to us-- you  _are_ infamous criminals after all." Tsumugi nodded in agreement.

            "Can't get anything past you, huh Detective Jr.?" Kokichi said a bit too happily. "Yep, like I was saying a million times before, me and my merry men knocked the whole town unconscious! Took you long enough to figure that out."

            "No we didn’t, you little shit!" Miu said. "The machines were all the shota’s idea. Said he wanted to give the geezer a prize for putting up with his shit for so long."

            Shuichi put a hand to his mouth, mulling over Miu’s words. While Kokichi definitely proved himself a skilled liar, Miu didn’t seem to have that ability. For now, he’d believe them. But then what? If they were actually dealing with a witch, how were they supposed to find them? And if they did, the witch could probably kill them with magic or something. He was pulled out of his worrying by Kokichi declaring they leave. “No use standing around like idiots,” he said. "And we can talk more on our lovely walk to the beanstalk!" The others groaned at the thought of having to put up with Kokichi's nonsense, but said nothing as it would've been useless. 

            They quickly made it out of the town, heading toward Maki and Kaito's home. Shuichi wondered if they were alright. He didn't know what he'd do without those two; they were like the siblings he never had. Weirdly enough, he found himself wondering whether Kokichi felt the same about Ryoma and Miu. Despite his criminal status, he seemed rather tame (for the most part), and his bantering with the others was, while annoying, probably all in good fun. Before he got a migraine thinking about the enigma that was Kokichi, he decided to focus on the clues they discovered. The Night-Night Potion he read about seemed like the most likely cause of the Mass Sleep, and the tea-scented spindle Miu found was most certainly connected to said potion. It was strange that she found a spinning wheel in a cellar in the first place; was someone trying to hide it for some reason? And was it actually Tsumugi's? Ugh, there were too many questions and not enough answers. For now he'd focus on finding the supposed witch that did this. 

            It turned out that they didn't need to find the witch at all. A "HYAAH!" came from out of nowhere and Kokichi and Shuichi suddenly found themselves smashing into the ground, the spinning wheel scattering everywhere. "Don't worry girls, I'll save you from these degenerate males!" declared a girl in a blue blouse and skirt. She immediately grabbed Miu and Tsumugi's hands and dragged them toward another girl with short red hair. "Himiko, can you cast a spell to free these poor girls from the degenerates' control?"

            The girl known as Himiko groaned. "Nyeh... only because it's low mana." She then waved her arms at Miu and Tsumugi, causing her black cloak to flutter. Muttering some gibberish, she lowered her arms and declared she was done.

            "As expected Himiko! Your magic's the best!" the other girl squealed.

            Himiko seemed unfazed by the compliment and just said "Can we go already? I still need those herbs for my potion."

            "Of course, Himiko! Can I bring these lovely maidens along too? They can be your new assistants!" Himiko just nyehed and went back into the forest. The other girl apparently took that as a yes and dragged a struggling Tsumugi and Miu along, unable to get out of her iron grip.

            "Where the fuck are you taking us, you bitch?!" Miu asked.

            The girl gasped in horror. "The degenerates must have tainted you more than I thought. Even Himiko's cleansing spell didn't work! Don't you worry though, we'll be sure to help you poor ladies out!" Ignoring their growing protests, she quickly hauled both girls into the forest, where they followed Himiko and vanished in the leaves. 

            Shuichi and Kokichi got up, still a bit stunned by what happened. "Guess we found our witch, huh?" Kokichi said, first to recover. "I'm kinda disappointed she wasn't as warty as I thought."

            "That's what your worried about?!" Shuichi said. "Tsumugi and Miu just got kidnapped!"

            "Don't worry about it so much. They'll realize their mistake soon. Who in their right mind would ever kidnap Miu?"

            "... Still, we should still go after them. We've already confirmed that this witch is dangerous, who knows what they'll do to them?"

            "Who ever said that this was the same witch? She could've been wandering around the area you know. And here I thought you were a detective."

            He was about to go into his tangent on how he was just an apprentice, though he doubted Kokichi would listen to him. Besides, he probably said it about a million times already, and he didn't feel like repeating himself. He sighed, looking up at the sky. While he wasn't exactly religious, he felt the strange need to pray right then. _Please let everything be alright._

* * *

 

Sadly, the only things in the sky to answer his prayers were his three friends talking to a bug-loving giant living in a giant house too big for him, and they were all preoccupied checking out Gonta's bug collection. Actually, checking out might not be appropriate. It was more like forcing kittens to go in water, except replacing the water with bugs. 

            Kaito's face was dripping with sweat and noticeably pale, though Gonta seemed to be unaware, pushing his collection of cockroaches towards the poor guy. Maki and Ryoma looked ready to bolt, or maybe it was the look one would give before trying to kill something.

            Upon conversing for a bit, the three found out that Gonta had been living here his whole life, raised by an actual giant that lived in the giant house. While the trio was skeptical, who else would live in such a huge residence? Gonta didn't seem like the type to lie either, unlike a certain someone. Rather, he was a lot gentler and naive than his appearance indicated. He handled all his bugs with tenderness, saying he found them on the beanstalk. When asked whether he ever went down to Earth before, they were surprised to hear no. His foster father forbade him from ever going down, saying that the beings there killed all bugs they saw. Upon remembering his father's teachings, his face morphed into one of fury, angrily asking whether they were bug-murderers. They all said no, they had not killed a bug in their lives, even if that was far from the truth. Gonta quickly snapped back to his usual self, explaining in detail all of his bugs and how to take care of them.

            Seeing that her cousin was about to snap, Maki said "We should stop for today. The bugs must be... tired?"

            Gonta didn't seem to notice Maki's hesitant tone and instantly complied. "Maki right. Maybe other time, bugs." He gently set his cage of cockroaches back on his crooked shelves. They seemed man-made. As he did so, Kaito shot his cousin a grateful look, to which Maki just nodded. Even Ryoma seemed more relieved.

            The giant man turned back around, grinning. "Gonta would like to hear more about 'Earth'. Are other humans nice like you?"

            "Yeah, they're really nice!" Kaito said. "I have to introduce you to Shuichi sometime, you'd like him! Maybe you could join our workout sessions. Oh, you're invited too of course," he said, talking to Ryoma, to which said person just grunted.

            "Workout sessions?" Gonta wondered.

            "You know, push-ups and stuff? You must work out a lot, Gonta, with your muscles."

            "Yes, Gonta do three hundred a day, like true gentleman!"

            "THREE HUNDRED?!"  _He must be stronger than Maki Roll! Actually, if those two were in a fight, who'd win?_ Kaito instantly got distracted by his vision of Maki and Gonta duking it out beneath a sunset with dramatic fanfare.

            While the two guys had their enthusiastic conversation, Maki and Ryoma held a much more subdued one about the Mass Sleep. Both agreed that they should be helping the others back on Earth. While Gonta was by no means a bad person, he wasn't exactly giving them any leads. His giant father was a bit suspicious though. 

            "Actually, where is his father right now?" Ryoma said. Maki put a hand to her chin and thought, not responding for a while. Before she could reply again, a rumble reverberated in her bones, setting her teeth on edge. Ryoma was even thrown off balance. It cause Kaito to scream in panic and Gonta in delight.

            "Father is home!" On cue, the giant door opened, revealing a giant man with a massive beard and smelly feet. The odor permeated through the room, assaulting everyone with a pungent smell. Gonta didn't seem to mind it. "Friends will like Gonta's father. He really gentlemanly!" The others were too busy trying to breathe to reply.

            "HM? YOU SAY SOMETHING SON?!" the giant boomed.

            "Gonta want father to meet new friends!" Gonta yelled almost as loudly.

            "OH? WHAT BUGS YOU FIND THIS TIME?"

            "They not bugs! They say they humans!"

            The house rung with the echo of Gonta's shouting. Then the deafening voice somehow grew even louder when it said "HUMANS?! WHERE ARE THEY?!"

            "They down here!" The giant swung his head down quickly, creating a gust of wind. His eyes became ravenous when they saw the human trio; it had been a while since he had such a delicacy. Gonta didn't count though. Honestly, it had been pure coincidence he even adopted Gonta. During his only excursion to Earth, he was just trying to explore the place when some puny humans started attacking him with spears and arrows. It hurt about as much as a paper cut, but the giant man had surprisingly low pain tolerance, so he lashed out and ate them all. That was when Gonta came. While still tiny by his standards, he was convinced at the time that Gonta was just a mini-giant (he was still convinced). Gonta was the only one there nice enough to ask him whether he was okay, even tending to his wounds. As it turned out, Gonta's parents had left him in the woods and never came back, so Gonta had been fending for himself for a while. The giant, after learning this, offered to take in Gonta, to which Gonta agreed enthusiastically. On that day the giant vowed never let him or Gonta get hurt by humans again. They spent their lives up on the clouds, living off his chicken's golden eggs, which were always a treat. Still, the taste of human meat made his mouth ache in hunger, though he kept it at bay. Risking his life just to eat some food was silly, and he knew Gonta would worry if he were hurt.

            Now that some prey had presented themselves to him, he couldn't help but want to eat them. But Gonta called them his friends. Would he be mad if he tried to eat them? The giant remembered when he accidentally stepped on one of Gonta's moths and the way Gonta's eyes burned with unhinged rage. He never wanted to see that expression on Gonta again. Besides, if Gonta called them his friends, maybe they were trustworthy? No way, they probably just tricked his innocent son into thinking that so they'd hurt him later. He would not let that slide.

            "SO YOU FRIENDS OF GONTA?!" the giant demanded. The humans just shrieked pathetically. It was kind of hard to hear them even with his giant ears, though that just showed how pathetic they were. "IF GONTA TRUST YOU, JACK TRUST YOU TOO," he lied. "WHY NOT JOIN US FOR LUNCH?"

            "Great idea father!" Gonta said. "WHAT SAY FRIENDS?" Seeing how his friends covered their ears at his voice, Gonta repeated himself quieter. Maki, Ryoma, and Kaito instantly realized the hidden meaning in the invitation.

            "That's nice of ya an' all, but w-we have some things to take care of. Maybeanothertime?" Kaito said quickly, dragging Maki and Ryoma out of the house.

            Seeing them inch their way out, Gonta's father scooped them into his palm, holding them up to his face. "JACK INSIST 'FRIENDS' JOIN US!" he said, spitting out the word friends like poison. Gonta luckily didn't notice.

            He picked up Gonta with his other hand, much more gently this time, and stomped his way to the dining room. Dropping everyone onto the table, he instructed Gonta to keep an eye on them while he made lunch and disappeared into an adjoining room.

            Kaito, Maki, and Ryoma stared at each other, silently asking what they should do. None of them had an answer. Gonta was quick to initiate small talk, distracting the trio from their predicament. Though it was hard to hear him over the strange clucking noise coming from the room Jack the giant went into. 

            Jack came out of said room a bit later with a huge frying pan and two golden eggs. The others could see a big golden chicken in the straw-filled room before Jack slammed the door shut. Without warning he picked up the human trio and walked over to the stove. Gonta asked what he was doing, to which he said he wanted their help cooking. This seemed to be a good explanation for Gonta, though most certainly not for the others.

            "What do we do now?!" Kaito hissed at his companions.

            "I say we jump," Maki suggested.

            "Nothing else we could do," Ryoma agreed. "But where would we go? He'd catch up to us in no time."

            "What about the room with the hen in it? It's pretty close," Maki said.

            "Great idea, Maki Roll! We could prolly hide under that huge-ass hen! He'd never find us there."

            "... I meant hiding in the straw," Maki deadpanned. Kaito sheepishly rubbed his head and agreed with Maki.

            "Now that that's settled, how are we going to get there without Jack or Gonta noticing?" Ryoma wondered. 

            The three brainstormed quickly, working out the plan as best they could before they reached the stove. Jack gazed at them hungrily, only looking away to place the pan on the stove. That moment was all they needed as they dashed across his giant palm and slid down his clothes. Jack didn't notice, fortunately; unfortunately, Gonta happened to have eyes like a hawk, and instantly said "Where friends going?!", calling Jack's attention to his now empty palm.

            Jack yelled in rage and immediately started scouring the room, instructing Gonta to help find his mea-- he means, guests. The trio watched with horror under the indentation near the bottom of the counter. Kaito promptly dropped his jacket onto the floor as Maki did the same with one of her scrunchies. They then made a mad run toward the hen-room as Gonta quickly got off the dining table. As planned, he immediately noticed the abandoned items and went to investigate, alerting his father and distracting him as well. That gave them just enough time to slide under the door and right into a pile of straw. The hen clucked at the sudden noise, startling even more as three straw-covered figures emerged from the pile.

            "Youse coming back for more eggs, huh?! Well let me tell you that I won't stand for youse shit any more! No one steals my eggs and gets away with it," the chicken declared loudly.

            "What the hell are you talking about?!" Kaito said, just as loud.

            "... it swears..." Ryoma said simply. Maki was too stunned to say anything at all.

            "Come to think of it, where's that red-headed midget? And what happened to the annoying and creepy girls? Actually..." the chicken stopped to adjust its glasses with its wing, narrowing its eyes. "I've never seen you fuckers in my life. State youse business." When no one said anything, he waved his wing exasperatedly. "I'm waiting!"

            "Wait a minute-- by creepy girl, do you mean a girl with long black hair and weird lipstick?" Kaito said, remembering the strange lady who gave him the beans in the first place.

            "So youse  _do_ know them!" the chicken cried, wrapping his wings around his eggs. "I'm not letting my babies go into youse weird-ass potion again!"

            "Potion?" Kaito said. Before he could ask any more, Maki had pulled him by the arm and out the crack.

            "The coast is clear. Let's go," she said. 

            Kaito could already see Ryoma across the crack, waiting expectantly for them. He struggled against Maki’s vice grip.

            "Hold on, Maki Roll! We still need to interrogate this guy!"

            "We are not wasting our time talking to a chicken," Maki replied as she and Kaito joined Ryoma on the other side. As soon as the three were together, they sprinted toward the nearest exit in sight, that being the way out of the dining room. Kaito was grumbling about how his interrogation was cut short, though it was hardly audible above the indignant cries of the chicken. The noise had attracted Gonta and Jack to the chicken room, where Jack now angrily asked where they were. Gonta's head swiveled in their direction, not thinking to alert his father but instead chased after his new friends. As expected of someone who did three hundred push-ups a day, Gonta was a fast runner.

            "Where friends going?! Do friends not want to eat with Gonta and father?"

            "Your father's trying to eat  _us_!" Kaito yelled, turning around a corner.

            "What?! Father never do that! Friends must be mistaken." 

            "I know ya think he's really nice and all, but why else would he bring us to the stove?! The fucking pan's bigger than us!"

            "Where's the exit?" Maki said, interrupting their back and forth. As Ryoma and Kaito searched the room for an escape, Gonta immediately caught up to them, trapping them in a dead end.

            "Please don't run away!" Gonta pleaded, looking as if he were about to cry. "Gonta sure friends misunderstand! Maybe we talk to father and get along again. Please don't leave."

            "... Sure," Kaito sighed, unable to protest against Gonta's hopeful expression. "But only for a minute."

            "You dolt!" Maki scolded, punching Kaito hard on the arm.

            "Ow!" He rubbed his arm. "I couldn't say no to the poor guy! He looked so sad."

            "You've got a long ways to go if some puppy eyes are all it takes to convince you," Ryoma said. "But I suppose this isn't too bad. There was no way we could've outrun them if we were found, so might as well negotiate our way out."

            "... Don't think I'll forget this," Maki huffed, crossing her arms.

            "So... friends will talk with father?" Gonta asked carefully. He smiled when Kaito said yes and squeezed all of them in a hug. "Let us go right now!" Despite the extra weight, Gonta never slowed on his way to his father, who happened to stand in the middle of the hallway in that moment.

            "GONTA?! WHERE YOU GO?"

            "Gonta down here, father! Gonta would like to talk about friends."

            "HM? WHAT THERE TO TALK ABOUT?"

            "Friends say father want to eat them. That not true, right father?"

            Jack thought about lying, but his son's innocent face killed any ideas of deceit in his mind. "It true..." he said softly, though it was still loud for the trio. He winced when Gonta began to cry. "You need understand, son. Humans are bad. They left you in bad forest and hurt your father. They deserve to be eaten."

            "But Gonta's friends no bad! They very nice. Even play with bugs with Gonta."

            "Look dude," Kaito interjected, earning him a glare from Maki, but he continued anyway. "I dunno what happened to you in the past, but I promise that we're all great people, and that we'd never do anything to hurt your son. A man never breaks his promise, after all!"

            He entered an intense staring contest with the giant, Jack ending it with a sigh. "Jack no think you lying, and Gonta trust you too, so... I no eat you for now."

            "Everyone get along again!" Gonta exclaimed happily. "Now will friends join us for lunch?"

            "Sorry, but we really have to get going," Maki said before Kaito could open his stupid mouth again.

            "You seem like a nice guy, Gonta, but we have some business to take care of," Ryoma explained.

            "If friends finish business, then will you join Gonta for lunch?"

            "Totally!" Kaito said.

            Hesitance appeared on Gonta's face for a bit, but it was quickly replaced with determination. "Gonta will help friends so they can eat lunch faster!" he declared, much to everyone's shock.

            "GONTA WANT LEAVE?!"

            "Gonta promise he be back soon! Like Kaito said, gentleman never break promise!"

            "Don't worry so much, pops!" Kaito said. "Your boy's in good hands. Besides, he's far from a little kid now. Let 'im explore a little! Just look at him, he's practically begging you to go!"

            "... You come back, right?"

            "Of course, father!"

            They all stood in tense silence until Jack nodded slightly. "Go have fun, son." He scooped up everyone in his palm and marched out to the top of the beanstalk, where it drilled itself below the clouds. "IF ANYTHING HAPPEN TO GONTA, JACK _WILL_ EAT YOU." With that parting message he lowered them down to Earth and gave them all one last glare. “PROMISE YOU COME BACK SOON?”

            "Promise!” Gonta replied.

            "Let’s go," Maki said, walking ahead with Ryoma already.

            Kaito and Gonta ran to catch up with their companions, Jack looking at them briefly before standing up and heading back to his house to wait. It was rather lonely without his son, but he guessed Gonta wasn't a kid anymore. "You grow up good," he said softly.

            

            

            

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said a week, and I'm truly sorry that it took way longer than that. I was just really busy, and had some trouble writing this chapter. Honestly, I'm not even sure if it's that good. Nonetheless, I didn't want to keep you guys waiting. Thanks for reading this story by the way; I'm glad that you're enjoying it enough to keep going. If you have anything you'd like to say about this story, feel free to! I'd appreciate any constructive criticism you have about this story, especially since this story will most probably become a train wreck in the future (if it isn't already). By the way, adding Monosuke here was completely random, and now that I've added him, you can be sure that the other kubs will come in sometime.
> 
> P.S. I updated Chapter 2. Don't worry though, it was just a sentence on how the potion was a light green and smelled like tea (is that retconning?). I might edit the former chapters later down the road, so I'll be sure to tell you if I do that. It probably won't be anything major though.


	4. Chapter 4

            "What was that?!" Shuichi yelped. That being the thunderous voice echoing through the forest. Without the dense treetops, they would've also seen a giant hand descend from the beanstalk.

            "What if it was a giant?!" Kokichi said excitedly. "You think it's gonna crush us under its feet? Or better, what if it eats us?!"

            "How is that better?!"

            They had been walking in the forest like that for a while now, and Shuichi's patience had run out. Sure, the other boy was a big help with finding the girls' trail, but he wasn't exactly the best traveling partner. Shuichi was already anxious about the abduction of Tsumugi and Miu, he didn't need another reason to freak out. Okay, besides traveling with a criminal. In all honesty, he was probably being too relaxed around Kokichi, but he didn't seem too bad. He was helping them after all, and as far as he knew, Robin Hood had never murdered before.

            "Hey look!" Kokichi said, getting Shuichi's attention. He was gesturing excitedly at a snapped twig. Shuichi was sure he'd never have noticed it on his own. He hurriedly raced after Kokichi who was happily skipping among the trees, as if his friend hadn't just been kidnapped. Sure, the witches seemed pretty harmless, though he knew better than to judge by appearances. Take Kokichi for example. He may look like an innocent child, but he was the best liar Shuichi ever had the displeasure of meeting. Speaking of lies, had he really found nothing at the castle? Guess this was his chance to ask.

            "Kokichi, what did you really find at the castle?" Best not beat around the bush when with Kokichi.

            "Are you deaf, Shuichi? I just said I found a whole stock of Panta in the storage room!"

            "First off, that was a while ago, second off, you said you were looking in the kitchen for Panta, not that you found any."

            "Holy shit you actually remember that?!" Kokichi said, looking impressed. "Do detectives always remember useless things?"

            "... What else were you doing in the castle?" Shuichi said, realizing the conversation was going off course.

            "Persistent are we? Well if you really need to know, I was stealing everyone's jewelry. I even got the crown!"

            Looking at Kokichi, he noticed his uniform's pockets weren't bulging with anything, and even if they were, he would've been able to see them due to the tears in them. The small boy was also too busy holding the disassembled spinning wheel, meaning that his statement was a lie. Wait, why  _was_ he holding the spinning wheel anyway? Sure, it smelled like the Night-Night Potion, and it was pretty suspicious, but it seemed more like a burden to him more than anything.

            "Man, I should've asked Miu for a wagon or something," Kokichi muttered to himself, as if hearing Shuichi's thoughts. At this point Shuichi wouldn't be surprised if he did, just very concerned for his privacy.

            As they continued onward, Shuichi devised a plan to get his interrogation back on track. He didn't live with a detective for nothing.

            "If I remember correctly," he started, gaining Kokichi's attention. "Back at my cabin, you said that in exchange for us giving you a new uniform, you'd give us the info we need to wake everyone up, right?"

            "Wrong!" Kokichi yelled, startling Shuichi. "I never said anything like that. Are you growing old, Shuichi? Being related to that geezer, it's understandable, but aren't you aging a bit too fast?"

            "You also said that supreme leaders never break their word," Shuichi continued on, undeterred.

            "And what if I did?" 

            "Well, by refusing to tell me what you found at the castle, you're technically breaking your word right now."

            "That's only _if_   I ever promised that. I keep telling you I never did but you keep making these assumptions! Not good behavior for a subordinate."

            "When was I ever your subordinate?!" Shuichi said, quickly realizing his mistake. 

            His remark was followed by the loudest bawling Shuichi had ever heard, streams of tears coming from Kokichi's watery eyes. "Y-you really forgot our promise?" Kokichi's lips quivered. "Even after everything we've been through, you're still acting so cold! Did ten years of friendship mean nothing to you?!"

            Despite knowing his demeanor was fake, the situation was making Shuichi rather uncomfortable. The guy could act, okay?! "Uh, Kokichi, not so loud! What if the witch hears us? And for the record, I literally just met you."

            His tears suddenly stopped, as if he hadn't been wailing mere moments ago. " _You_ might not think you're my subordinate, but the minute you agreed to team up with me, your fate was sealed." He smiled maliciously, sending a wave of cold down Shuichi's spine. He unconsciously pulled his hood down to avoid Kokichi's look. The malice was quickly replaced with cheer, Kokichi saying "I'll let your insubordination slide for now though. You're pathetic interrogation attempt was pretty cute. Do entertain me more from now on, Shuichi."

            They continued their walk in relative silence, Shuichi stewing in his failure. Once again Kokichi had steered him off course. It didn't mean he was giving up though. No, far from it. After they found Tsumugi and Miu, he'd be sure to get Kokichi to spill later on. The detective side of him won't let him rest until he found the truth.  _But what if this ends like that last case? Will it still be worth it?_ Kokichi's eyes warped to pitch black, accusing and hateful andShuichican'tbreatheanymorehe-

            A whoosh of wind later and his hood was off his head. He blinked a bit, not processing the wide grin Kokichi was giving him. It soon morphed into laughter as he noticed the giant ahoge on Shuichi's head.

            "It's h-huge!" Kokichi wheezed.

            Shuichi quickly pulled his hood back on, pouting. "It's not that big," he mumbled, recovering from his earlier panic.

            "Did you get it from the geezer?" Kokichi asked, referencing Uncle Saihara's own ahoge.

            "Please stop calling my uncle geezer, he really doesn't like it," Shuichi said.

            "Oh, is poow Saihawa afwaid of being cawed owd?"

            "Please don't talk like that."

            "Fine~, only 'cause you gave me that geezer's weakness!"

            "Wouldn't you have known that already?"

            "Why of course! I  _am_ an all-knowing supreme leader after all! I even know your darkest secrets, Shuichi~"

            And that was how the rest of their search went. Kokichi didn't stop the conversation for an instant, distracting Shuichi from his thoughts before.  _Does he know about that? ... Nah, no way,_ Shuichi thought.

            It might have been a few minutes later when they finally found something noteworthy. Kokichi at least seemed ecstatic about their discovery. Running like a little toddler he went up to a house made of actual gingerbread, frosting coating the roof. He even slowly poked the the corner of the house, grabbing a handful and showing it to Shuichi.

            "Mind eating this for your supreme leader, Shuichi?"

            "No way!" Shuichi said. "What if it's poisonous?"

            "The idiots in there seem fine enough," Kokichi retorted, referring to the girls which Shuichi now saw through a candy-cane-framed window. His distress died down a bit as he saw them lazing about, some rubbing their stomachs in satisfaction. It was instantly renewed, however, when a warty and green lady emerged from the house. Shuichi was sure she wasn't in the house before.

            Kokichi seemed to share his surprise, exclaiming "Holy shit! I was kidding about the warty and green part."

            "Please feel free to eat as much as you want," she croaked, ignoring Kokichi. "I assure you it's harmless. I made this house especially for young travelers like you."

            Alarms bells rang off in both the boys' heads, Kokichi immediately stuffing the gingerbread back. He was about to say something but was cut off by the girl in blue now making her appearance.

            "I thought I heard you degenerates again! Granny, please don't let them trick you. They're vile and vicious on the inside and are only going to use you! They don't deserve your kindness."

            "What's going on?" Tsumugi said, emerging from the house as well. Her eyes lit up when she saw Shuichi. "Shuichi! You're here. Why don't you join us for lunch? You can come too," she said to Kokichi.

            "Tsumugi! Don't let them trick you again!"

            "It's alright Tenko. Shuichi's a really nice person."

            "Are you saying I'm not nice?!" Kokichi said.

            "Now, now, let us not fight," the alleged Granny said. "I'm sure they're lovely people, Tenko dear. Tsumugi even said so. You trust Tsumugi, do you not?"

            Tenko seemed like she wanted to retort, though she soon acquiesced. "Fine, though if they lay a hand on any of us, they're dead."

            "I promise we won't do anything," Shuichi said tentatively. Tenko only scoffed at that, marching back inside.

            Tsumugi went up to Shuichi, face apologetic. "Sorry about that. Tenko just really hates men for some reason."

            "Oh, I never would've guessed," Kokichi said, sarcasm very evident. 

            "Why don't we take this inside, kids?" Granny said. "You can put the stuff you're holding inside too. Your arms must be getting sore, right?"

            "I thought you'd never ask!" Kokichi said, running in and dumping the spinning wheel parts onto the table. "But that's a lie!" he called back. "I was  _totally_ expecting that."

            Rolling his eyes Shuichi hesitantly followed the leader in, Tsumugi walking with him. "You guys seem closer now, as strange as that sounds," she commented.

            Shuichi pulled his hood down out of habit. "Is that so?" he said shyly.

            "Yeah! Actually, this reminds me of a scene from this one play, where the two leads really hated each other but bonded when they were hiding from the villain together."

            "You mean from The Cold Case?"

            Tsumugi's eyes lit up with light brighter than the sun's. "You like The Cold Case too?! Man, I've been waiting forever for someone to talk to! Everyone at the castle was just plain uninterested, saying Shakespeare is better. But not everything has to be in fancy prose! Personally, I prefer when they just talk plainly. Oh, who's your favorite character?"

            The two sat down at a table and continued their conversation. While unused to seeing Tsumugi so talkative, he was glad she was so passionate. Talking to her was different than with Kokichi. A bit more normal, but that was alright. He needed someone normal to talk to, what with the people around him. Sadly, they were not ones to let him live in peace for long.

            "Shut up!" Miu said. "Just get a room already. It's fucking obvious how much you two wanna go."

            "It's not like that!" Shuichi and Tsumugi denied.

            "Miu!" Tenko said, horrified. "What are you saying?"

            "Nyeh, it's too loud in here," Himiko said, joining the conversation.

            "Then why don't you just use a silencing spell?" Kokichi said, adding on to the chaos. "Aren't you like, a witch or something?"

            "The right word is a mage," Himiko corrected. "And a silencing spell is too much of a pain."

            "Could one of you dears help poor old Granny with her cookies? You'll get half of them if you do," Granny said from the kitchen.

            "Allow me to help, Granny!" Tenko said, proudly marching toward the kitchen. "If you two degenerates do anything while I'm gone, I will personally break all your bones." She glared at them before leaving.

            "How are you friends with that psycho?" Kokichi asked Himiko.

            "Tenko's not a psycho," Himiko said in a sudden bout of assertiveness. "Do you want me to turn you into a frog?

            "Waaah! Miu, the witch is threatening me!"

            "Oh, you are not fucking involving me in your shit."

            "You're being so cruel, Miu! At least Shuichi's a good subordinate, right?" Kokichi turned around to face Shuichi, but said boy had already walked to the kitchen, willing to help a suspicious green lady bake her cookies over being around everyone else any day. Sadly, he had abandoned Tsumugi, whom Kokichi now wailed too.

            "I thought we were friends," Tsumugi muttered to a not-present Shuichi as the small boy clung onto her arm tightly. Some part of her wished she was asleep with everyone else if it meant she'd be free from all this. But she was here now and had to at least try. "Please get off me Kokichi. I'm sure Himiko was kidding, right?"

            "Nyeh."

            "It's plain to see she didn't mean it," Tsumugi said with fake enthusiasm.

            "Then is your whole plain shtick a lie too?" Kokichi asked, aura gone cold, contrasting against his childish smile.

            "H-Huh? Now you're just being plain confusing, Kokichi." Tsumugi did her best to keep her voice steady.

            "Don't worry 'bout it Slutmugi. He's just fucking with you," Miu said.

            "Yeah! What the whore said. Geez, you're gonna have to be more perceptive than that if you want to be my subordinate."

            "But I don't want to--"

            "But!" Kokichi interjected. "I'll accept you anyway, cause I'm a generous supreme leader, and you're going to make me a new uniform!"

            Tsumugi sighed. She was too plain to be near these people. She was already on edge being near Himiko and Granny, even if they proved themselves harmless. And Kokichi was just plain unsettling. Why did Shuichi have to leave her alone?

* * *

            Asked if he could change his earlier choice, Shuichi would've been more than willing to go back to the living room. As it stands, Tenko kept staring at him like a hawk, watching for even the slightest twitch before she yelled accusations at him. Granny gave up on trying to stop the fighting ages ago, focusing more on her baking. He really did try to get along with Tenko, but the girl refused to have it.

            "Why do you hate men so much anyway?" he asked Tenko.

            "Isn't it obvious? You're all dirty, cheating scum that'll break a girl's heart first chance you get."

            "We're not like that! Well, not _all_ like that," he amended, thinking to Kokichi.

            "Are you saying Master was wrong?!"

            "I wasn't saying that! I don't even know who this Master person is!"

            "Master isn't just any person. He's the one who trained me and let me see Himiko, so don't you dare insult him!"

            "Wait, but you called your Master a him. Doesn't that mean he's a guy too?"

            "Master is obviously the exception. Figures a degenerate can't understand that."

            They continued assisting Granny in silence, tension not unbearable but still there. The only sound there was was Granny's (atrocious, but neither of them would say that) humming. Shuichi found himself relieved that they had yet to put poison into the pastries and hoped it stayed like that.  _Or maybe they'll slip it in when you're not looking._ He decided to ignore his thoughts, content with just baking. 

            His uncle had said his mother enjoyed baking, always making sure to make him some brownies. Despite all appearances, his uncle had quite the sweet tooth. Shuichi laughed, thinking that his uncle would like a house made entirely of candy. Speaking of which, he should be focusing on Himiko and Tenko. He shouldn't leave his uncle hanging any longer. Boy was he getting side-tracked lately. Guess he could start by interrogating Tenko. She _was_ with Himiko at the time, and she wasn't Kokichi, making his job a little easier. Still, he doubted she'd be willing to comply with a 'degenerate' like him.

            "So uh, Tenko, how long have you known Himiko?" Shuichi asked awkwardly. Probably better to ease into it.

            "And why would you want to know, degenerate?" Tenko spat, beating some dough aggressively.

            "Y-you guys just seemed c-close is all," Shuichi said, unnerved by her glare.

            She huffed. "At least you can see the bond between Himiko and I. Isn't Himiko just the cutest?!" she squealed, rambling on about her precious Himiko. Rather than be annoyed, Shuichi admired the way Tenko talked about Himiko with obvious passion. It was clear they were good friends, despite the fact that Tenko said they had only met two months ago. He wondered if Himiko liked Tenko as much as she liked her.

            "And the way Himiko sticks her tongue out when she makes a really hard potion is just adorable!" Tenko continued.

            "Ah, speaking of potions," Shuichi interrupted, hoping it wasn't too awkward. "Could you tell me about the latest potion you worked on? I'm really curious."

            "Why? Just so you know, Himiko doesn't deal in love potions, so don't even think about it."

            "I-- I wasn't going to ask," Shuichi said.  _Okay, that didn't work. On to the guilt trip._ "It's just that my hometown has a problem." Seeing that he had Tenko's (begrudging) interest, he continued. "Everyone in town suddenly fell asleep, as strange as that sounds. Even the women are all knocked out."

            "What did you say?!"

             _Perfect._ "Everyone, including all the women, are sleeping right now, and I'm not sure if they'll be able to wake up."

            "That's terrible!"

            Shuichi nodded gravely. "It is, yeah. We think that something called the Night Night potion caused this, and I wanted to ask you and Himiko about it since Himiko said she knew magic."

            "Of course! Himiko's the best at magic, no question. She'll definitely be able to wake all those poor women up!"

            "I'm sure she will," Shuichi agreed with much less conviction. Tenko didn't seem to notice. "Though there are a few questions I'd like to ask, if you wouldn't mind, Tenko?"

            "... I'm only doing this for the women. Don't think I want to help you in any way, degenerate."

            "Okay?" Shuichi said and asked all at once. "Um, so,"  _Stop being so nervous, Shuichi!_ "First question. Did Himiko make anything like the Night Night potion? Or does she know anyone who made one?"

            "I don't like what you're implying, degenerate."

            "I'm-- I'm not saying that Himiko did this, of course! Just that maybe someone might have tricked Himiko into it or something."

            "Himiko's too clever to be tricked!" Tenko said proudly, but she rubbed her chin in thought. "Though..." Shuichi kept silent, afraid that if he spoke, Tenko would clam up. Luckily, she continued. "There was a strange person in a cloak that visited yesterday asking for an attention potion. Probably a degenerate male. Who else would wear such a shady cloak?" She eyed Shuichi's cloak suspiciously. "... I guess it wasn't him. The cloak was black, not blue."

            Shuichi added some chocolate chips into a mixing bowl, analyzing Tenko's every murmur.  _So the culprit had a black cloak and visited the two yesterday. Tenko thinks it's a male, though I can't be certain. They were also asking for a Spotlight potion_ , he added upon hearing Tenko say that.  _From her words, I can assume it's a potion to bring attention to a person. Put them in the spotlight, I suppose._ Shuichi had never felt so on a roll, and so was very annoyed when Granny interrupted his train of thought.

            "Tenko, dear, can you help me with something in the oven? And Shuichi, please bring that batch of cookies over to your friends. They must be hungry."

            He didn't like the sickly sweet tone Granny used, though he picked up the tray of cookies anyway, struggling to carry so many cookies on one platter.  _Can everyone even eat all this? They looked really full last time I checked._

            Nevertheless he walked into the living room and plopped the platter onto the coffee table in the middle, made of literal coffee wafers. He noticed a large portion of its corner was gone, and how Kokichi and Himiko had incriminating crumbs stuck on their faces and hands. Chunks of the walls were gone, thrown haphazardly on the floor. The chocolate chairs were tilted over and half-eaten. Miu's face was covered with chocolaty smears, and Tsumugi looked like she just witnessed a full-on war.  _I wasn't in there for_ that  _long,_ he thought.

            "What took you so long, Shuichi?!" Kokichi demanded. "I was about to die of hunger here!"

            Shuichi only blankly eyed his clearly full stomach, already brisking his way back to the kitchen. Tsumugi stared at him, pleading, and he only winced and mouthed "sorry" before he was gone again. He heard the words "Traitor!" echo after him.

            His ears were assaulted by Granny's hideous parody of humming as he entered, closing the peppermint bark door behind him to drown out the noise from the living room. He instantly noticed the distinct lack of Tenko. Granny seemed to sense his confusion and said "Tenko is only getting something from the pantry, dear." She pointed toward the pantry at the back of the kitchen, causing Shuichi to narrow his eyes. The knob was made of marshmallow, one of the squishiest sweets around. But there wasn't a dent in sight.

            "Shuichi, could you be a dear and start making the dough? The ingredients are already out for you, honey."

            Cringing at the word honey, he made his way to the corner she pointed at, and true to her word, everything was already set up. He pretended to be focusing on cracking the eggs, stealthily peering over his shoulder at Granny near the oven, about to turn the dial. He dropped the eggshells in the bowl when he noticed Tenko in the apparently sound-proof oven, banging desperately on the door. Sadly, it seemed to be the only thing not made of breakable candy.

            Shuichi had never considered himself violent, but when his friend? was about to get roasted alive, he think he had a right to tackle a Granny. She fell into a green lump with a sickening crack. Guilt didn't register in Shuichi as he opened the door and freed a not-burnt Tenko from the oven. Seemed he arrived in the nick of time. He startled, almost falling over when Tenko hugged him. She quickly recoiled, suddenly realizing she was touching a "germ-infested, disgusting male." 

            "Are you alright, Tenko?" Shuichi asked, ignoring her remark.

            "I don't need a degenerate asking me that," she said, though her expression softened slightly. "Though I suppose I should thank you for helping me. Master always taught me to be grateful to those who deserved it, even if you are a degenerate male."

            That was probably about as close a compliment as he'd be getting, and Shuichi accepted it gladly. Together they got some licorice from the pantry and tied Granny up, Tenko abruptly throwing her into the oven.

            "Isn't this a bit much?" Shuichi asked as she slammed the door shut.

            "It's fitting punishment for the degenerate male," Tenko said, looking sadistically triumphant. "Besides, I'm not low enough to turn the oven on."

            "But she's not a male?" 

            "Fool. It was clearly a degenerate in disguise. I can't believe the person who helped me is this stupid."

            They decided to head back to the living room and inform the others of their cannibalistic host. Before they had managed to open the door however, a loud CRASH! came from the other side, and the roof above them collapsed.

* * *

 

            Maki had had enough of loud noises. Her eardrums were still ringing from the encounter with Jack, she didn't need another crash from the forest to make her go deaf. It didn't help that Kaito and Gonta were screaming in fear. Ryoma was the only one with the decency to stay quiet.

            "We have to go check it out!" Kaito yelled.

            "We  _need_ to head back to the castle," Maki hissed. "Everyone's waiting for us there."

            "But what if this is an important lead, Maki Roll? We can't just ignore it!"

            "He's got a point," Ryoma conceded, much to Maki's shock. "Besides, the others might hear the crash and come to look as well. Even if they don't, I'm sure they wouldn't mind waiting a few more minutes."

            "If going to crash will help friends, Gonta will do everything he can!" With that declaration he picked up everyone in their small party and dashed into the forest, running with a clear sense of purpose. Whether he knew where he was going was debatable, but he assured the others by saying that his sense of hearing was great, trained by hearing the tiny sounds his bugs would make. Using his acute sight, he instantly located the source: a heap of what seemed to be candy laying on the ground. As he ran closer, a hand reached out of the pile, along with a tendril of purple hair.

            Ryoma jumped out of Gonta's hold and ran towards his buried leader, pushing aside the debris.

            "Oh, Ryoma, you always were my favorite subordinate-- Ow! Stop pulling so hard."

            "What did you do this time?" Ryoma said, dragging Kokichi out by his arms. 

            "So mean, Ryoma! Why do all my men hate me so?"

            Giving Kokichi a once-over, Ryoma nodded when he saw he wasn't too hurt. "Is there anyone else buried?" he asked.

            "Nope! I'm the only one~."

            Ryoma's face was deadpan as he headed back to the rubble, pleasantly surprised when he saw everyone else digging around. They managed to free Tsumugi, her blue cloak caked with frosting. They all held up a piece of giant graham cracker for the red-headed girl that crawled out next. She looked around frantically, worry lining her face. "Where's Tenko?"

            Tsumugi looked at her apologetically, saying she didn't know. "Miu and Shuichi are missing as well," Tsumugi informed the others.

            That caused Kaito to start throwing up candy like a mad-man, yelling for his sidekick all the while. Maki, while not as fervent, noticeably hurried her search efforts, along with Ryoma and Kokichi. Luckily, they all managed to save the three, Miu cursing as she got out. Shuichi was immediately tackled in a hug by Kaito, Himiko doing the same to Tenko. After hugging Himiko back, Tenko turned her gaze towards the others. "Which one of you degenerates did this?" she demanded. "You could've hurt Himiko!"

            "Who cares about her?" Kokichi said. "What about me?! My uniform's all dirty now thanks to you!"

            " _You_ did this, you fuckin' shota!" Miu yelled.

            "If I remember correctly, weren't  _you_ having a food fight with Kokichi too, Miu?" Tsumugi said, disgustedly wiping off frosting from her cloak. "I worked so hard on this," she muttered.

            "Fight?! Are friends okay?" Gonta asked.

            "Who are you?" Shuichi asked.

            "Hehe. It's a long story," Kaito said. "Anyways, you okay, bro? Can't have my sidekick be injured on me now!"

            "Yeah, I'm fine, Kaito. Do you know what happened though?"

            "Seems Kokichi and Miu were having a food fight with the candy," Ryoma said.

            "Ah, that would explain it," Shuichi said. "What are you all doing here, by the way? I thought you were at the beanstalk?"

            "Like Kaito said, it's a long story," Maki said. "We'll tell you later... Are you sure you're okay? Don't even think about lying to me."

            "I'm fine, really Maki. You don't need to worry." Maki paused before nodding, accepting his statement for now.

            "Tenko, I'm tired. Can we go home?"

            "Of course, Himiko!" Lifting Himiko onto her back, Tenko was about to run off, but Shuichi called out to her.

            "Wait! I still have to ask you guys some things!"

            "I already answered your questions, male. What more do you want?"

            "Can you tell me about that suspicious person in the cloak you mentioned before? Where you met, if they'd said something, anything would help." When Tenko turned around again, Shuichi added "For the women, at least?"

            "... Fine. But can I bring Himiko home first?"

            "Can't we just talk at your place? It'd be a lot easier."

            "Why would I bring degenerates to Himiko's home?! That's just low."

            "Look," Maki said. "I don't know what your deal is, but aren't you being too discriminatory?"

            "This is fitting treatment for degenerates!"

            "Not all guys are bad," Maki said, exasperated. "Sure, some of them are idiots," she looked at Kaito, "and others are just annoying," she glared at Kokichi, "but others are pretty decent." When Tenko didn't say anything, she sighed. "It's not like we all have to go to your home. Just invite whoever you're fine with."

            "If you say so, Maki," Tenko said. "But it's not my fault if the degenerates get lost on the way." She walked off again, rather speedily this time. "Well, what are you waiting for?!" she yelled when she didn't hear anyone following her.

            The others quickly caught up to her, though it didn't last for long as Tenko skillfully maneuvered the plant-infested paths, causing everyone else to lose her quickly. Without Gonta pointing out where she was, they most surely would've been stranded in the woods. Maki was unsure if Gonta'd be a hindrance or not to their mission, but he turned out to be a valuable asset. And it was admirable how he clearly wanted to get along with everyone, always asking if he was doing well, smiling when someone told him he was. How long this would last if you had the literal spawn of Satan with you, Maki wasn't sure. For now he was too busy using his tiny legs to keep up to spout more obnoxious nonsense, but who knew how long before this bliss stopped? Maki already regretted working together with Kokichi; if he gave her another reason, Maki would snap, along with possibly Kokichi's neck.

            Maki had no trouble thinking up her Murder Kokichi plan as they jumped on river stones and down ledges. She had experience with this type of terrain due to hunting for her and Kaito. It troubled her that she was unfamiliar with the area though. She had gone in here for years yet never set foot this far in before. Why  _did_ they live so far away in the first place? Being closer to the town would've been way more convenient. Who were these two anyway? Shuichi seemed like he needed their help, but for what? She was about to tap his shoulder and ask him, but decided not too since he seemed tired running after Tenko. Eh, she'll trust his decision for now. He wasn't an idiot, unlike a certain someone. Kaito probably had no idea why they were following Tenko in the first place. Then again, so did Maki... No, she was not Kaito-level stupid. Though she had to admit, her cousin did have his good qualities. While Gonta might have been able to persuade his father alone, Kaito's support was a big help. She'd never say that to Kaito, though.

             She was approaching the final stages of her murder plan when they stopped near a random pile of leaves. Kicking them aside, Tenko revealed a hole in the ground. Surveying them all, she said "All the girls can come in... Except Miu that is."

            "Wha?! Why wouldn't you want this gorgeous girl genius with you?"

            "You'd just taint Himiko's innocent mind," Tenko said. "As for the degenerates... Shuichi's decent enough, and I'll let Tsumugi and Maki decide who else. Kokichi stays out, though."

            "I never wanted to go into your sorry ditch anyway," Kokichi said.

            "Don't insult Himiko's home! Ugh, you know what, let's just go."

            Tenko jumped into the hole, Kaito following enthusiastically. After some hesitation, the others descended as well. Before she went, Maki gave Kokichi one last glare. "Don't you dare go in," she said and jumped down as well.

            Looking to Kokichi, Miu noticed his mischievous smirk and said "We're going in, aren't we?"

            "Yep!" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Just as a heads up, I'll probably be editing the previous chapters for mistakes. I just edited Chapter 3, though they were really small changes, so no need to reread it. As always, thanks for reading this mess of a story.
> 
> P.S. Not that this is important, but the play Shuichi and Tsumugi were talking about is fake, since I don't know enough plays for that.


	5. Chapter 5

            Shuichi was expecting a dark and dirty hovel, so when he saw light at the end of the chute, he was surprised. He also didn't expect to land in a room lit with colorful ornaments hanging from the ceiling, or the polished worktables with books opened across them. The scene would've been perfect except for the pungent smells permeating in the room. Some of them were fragrant, like cinnamon and peppermint, but others were disgusting like rotten bananas and raw fish. Mingled together they were even worse. 

            Himiko had gotten off Tenko and was promptly closing all the books and putting the vials on the table away. Helping her was Tenko and a strange bear, red on one side and white on the other. It wore a black scarf. The way it asked if it was putting stuff in the right place might've been cute, but Shuichi was more concerned with the fact that it was talking _at all_. Kaito didn't seem all that disturbed by it. When he landed and saw the bear, he said something about how it looked like a chicken? Yeah, Shuichi was going to ask him later. Right now he had an actual witch's lair to investigate. First off, asking Tenko some more questions. Actually, maybe not Tenko. Himiko was probably not a good consultant since she might be too lazy to answer him and Tenko would fight him before he got near her. Maybe the bear, then? The thing set his nerves on edge, though it was worth a shot.

            The bear was currently shelving some big books in a shelf dug out of the dirt wall. Its arms were shaking from exertion. Shuichi lifted the book from its paws?, asking the bear where to put it. 

            "Sorry, I forgot," it said, sounding a bit masculine.

            "Huh? Then have you just been putting books in randomly?" Shuichi asked.

            "Have I? I can't remember."

            _Okay then, Tenko it is_ , Shuichi thought.  _Actually, I could just ask Maki to ask questions for me. She could also be caught up on what’s happening too._ So Shuichi headed over to his childhood friend, observing the lair in a corner of the room. He quickly explained their situation, from the clues at the castle to the encounter with Tenko and Himiko. She seemed skeptical that they were witches but decided to trust Shuichi for now. In turn she told him what happened at the beanstalk. Upon her retelling, she suddenly remembered what that chicken said about a red-headed midget stealing his eggs and the annoying and creepy girls accompanying her. 

            "Himiko does fit its description," Shuichi said after the shock of his friend’s encounter with a swearing chicken and giant set in. "She'd be extremely likely to make the potion that it talked about.”

            "And this Tenko  _does_ seem pretty annoying," Maki added.

            "I— I wouldn't put it like that, but I suppose Tenko does fit. But then who are the others?"

            "Kaito mentioned something about a creepy woman who gave him the beans. You could ask him for more info."

            "Ah, did he? I'll be sure to look into it. Thanks Maki. By the way, do you mind asking Tenko some questions? Anything that you think might help us wake everyone up. I would ask her personally, but she probably wouldn't answer me."

            Maki nodded and headed over to Tenko, already interrogating her. Shuichi did the same to Kaito. His other childhood friend was eager to share everything he could, from his bargain with her to her strange remark about how her brother would be happy to be able to finally do his ritual. When Kaito asked her about it, she said that her little brother needed cow's blood to complete the ritual, which just confused Kaito more. All he could remember about her appearance was that she wore a black cloak, had really long dark hair below her waist, and wore blood-red lipstick. They met in the market near the edge of town for Kaito's and her convenience. How it was convenient for her she would not say. What Kaito could confirm though was that she had left the town after buying Milky Way. It was unclear if she came back during the two days following that. 

            Shuichi thanked Kaito for his input, already thinking up theories. Kaito patted (more like hit) Shuichi's back. "No problem, bro! So, what did my sidekick find at the castle? Knowing you, it’s bound to be something important."

            So Shuichi filled Kaito in like he did Maki. Upon mentioning the book, Shuichi realized he'd accidentally forgotten it at Granny’s house. Just as he was about to freak out about it, Gonta came up and tapped his shoulder. "Um, Gonta not sure if this is what you talk about, but Gonta found book at candy house and picked it up, like true gentleman!" He showed them the book, and it was, indeed, the potions book Shuichi had found at Akamatsu Castle.

            "Thank you, Gonta! Seriously, I don't know what I'd do if I had lost this. I can't believe I forgot such an important clue."

            "No worries, uh..."

            "Oh, I'm Shuichi."

            "Shuichi! We all forget sometimes. Gonta glad he could help too. Though Gonta not exactly sure what he supposed to help with. Maybe friends explain?”

            It was a good moment, Shuichi telling Gonta everything, Gonta getting fired up to help everyone, Kaito joining in on Gonta's enthusiasm. In other words, it was a good moment for Kokichi and Miu to make their entrance.

            "Who’s idea was it to make a fuckin’ chute?!"

            "You're right, Miu! We should totally add this to our base!"

            "We don't _have_ a base! And chutes are fucking stupid!"

            Seconds later the duo dropped to the floor of the lair, startling everyone in it. Kokichi energetically got up and started dusting his clothes, Maki glaring at him all the while. "We told you to stay outside."

            "Don’t lie to me now, Maki Roll. You said that I couldn't come in, not that I had to stay out. How forgetful are you?' Kokichi took to touring the lair, haphazardly handling books and vials. The books that they had put away were now all over the floor, opened to random pages. The fairly peaceful lair suddenly became a battlefield as Tenko took off and tried to catch the little gremlin, jumping over tables and flipping any degenerates out of her way. Himiko lay on a couch on the other side of the room, too lazy to stop them. The half-red half-white bear was frantically putting everything back again, but it was all knocked down thanks to Tenko and Kokichi, Kaito joining the fray when Kokichi "accidentlally" pushed him towards Tenko. Miu was quickly interested in the bear. What machinery was used to create such a life-like figure she needed to know, so she scooped up the bear and was looking around for any tools to dismantle him. 

            "Mama?" it said, causing Miu to halt and stare at the bear in wonder. The word mama gave her a weird happy feeling. ... She could hold off from dissecting it for now.

            "Why didn’t I think to keep an eye on them?" Maki sighed while smacking her forehead.

            "This is just plain chaos," commented Tsumugi.

            "We’re not getting anywhere like this," agreed Shuichi.

            "Friends!" said Gonta. "Please stop fighting!" He picked Kokichi up effortlessly and plopped him away from the others, admonishing him that fighting with his friends was bad. Poor Gonta kept getting confused by Kokichi's antics, only Maki there to keep Gonta from falling for them.

            With Kokichi successfully guarded by Gonta and Maki, calming the others became less of a Herculean task. Tsumugi managed to abate Tenko for the time being, using the help of a Himiko that just wanted peace and quiet. Convincing Kaito to refrain from punching Kokichi took some effort, but it was done. Ryoma told him that while his leader may have deserved many punches, doing so would only make him annoy you more. That, and he may or may not care for him, but that was something he was taking to his grave.

            "So!" Kokichi started, receiving wary glances and glares from everyone.

            "Don't you dare," Kaito growled.

            "Alright," he agreed surprisingly. "Boy, you guys are no fun. I just wanted to ask if little Ms. Witch here had a retrieval spell."

            "Nyeh?" Himiko said, pointing to herself.

            "Why would you need that?" Maki said.

            "You see, I just realized that I really miss my dog, and I'd be really happy if I could have him back. Oh! I also need my Panta-press, wagon, spinning wheel—"

            "What did you do to the spinning wheel you little shit?!" Miu said when she realized it wasn't there.

            "... You left it at Granny's house, didn’t you?"

            "What are you talking about Shuichi? Unlike you, I have a perfect memory and would _never_ forget such an important clue."

            "You heard that?!" Shuichi asked.

            "Huh? Are you hearing voices, Shuichi? You know, that's a sign that you're going insane."

            "If you really did forget the spinning wheel, then we should focus on getting it back," interrupted Maki. "What if Gonta went and got it?"

            "I'll help too!" Kaito volunteered.

            "... Fine. Just make sure you don't do something stupid," Maki said.

            "Are you sure Kaito can do it?" Kokichi said. "He'd be so dumb he'd definitely miss pieces of it."

            "Speaking of which, where  _should_ we keep the spinning wheel pieces?" Shuichi asked. "Carrying it around seems a bit troublesome."

            "Can't we just keep it in this shitty ditch?" Miu suggested. "You'll keep an eye on them for Mama, right?" She smiled when the bear nodded.

            "Why would I let you keep your junk in Himiko's home?!" Tenko said.

            "While we could keep it in Shuichi's cabin, it'd be safer if someone were there to keep an eye on the parts," Maki said. "It'd help us a lot."

            "If you say so, Maki," Tenko acquiesced. 

            The conversation essentially ended there, continuing only with gratuitous banter. The designated trio had already left, going up the tree elevator in the lair. Maki and Shuichi started sharing the info they had gathered. The black-cloaked figure that visited Tenko and Himiko only gave them a letter stating their demands in elegant handwriting, so they didn't hear their voice. The Spotlight potion was pale green in color, and it's effects only worked when the potion entered the blood-stream. Tenko said that they only made one vial the size of an index finger. Himiko told the person to add in honey if they wanted to extend its influence. When they moved on to the strange woman who sold Kaito the beans, Maki told him that she came here in search of a potion to help her brother sleep. She claimed he was having nightmares. Shuichi's eyes widened when she told him that they made her a Night Night potion. They continued theorizing whether the woman was the cloaked person asking for a Spotlight potion and decided that if she was willing to reveal her face before, it'd be weird if she hid it later. Though then again she could've had an ulterior motive.

            Maki also revealed the recipe for the Night Night potion antidote Himiko showed her from a book. It turned out they needed a gold feather and apple, a lock of freshly-plucked green hair, a strip of century-old leather, and cocoa beans. The cocoa beans would be easy to get, and they could ask Gonta for green hair, but the others seemed impossible. Where would they find a feather and apple made of gold anyway? And why did they need leather for a potion? For now they decided to ask Gonta if they could have a strand of his hair later. At first they thought the kind giant would agree to it immediately, but they were proven wrong. 

            "Sorry friends, but Gonta have bug eggs incubating in hair, and they no hatch until two months."

            Okay then, so green hair would be added to their list of impossible ingredients as well. For now they should just get the cocoa beans. Informing the others of their task, Shuichi and Maki also left through the elevator and started picking cocoa beans from the trees. They had both lived there long enough to know the forest was full of them, no matter if they were in an unknown stretch of it. Luckily Himiko had some baskets laying around for whatever reason. Between the two of them, they managed to bring back two full baskets of cocoa beans, which Tenko told them to keep on empty shelves. As they were putting them away, the spinning wheel trio came back, all carrying armfuls of the pieces. Poor Ryoma was hidden behind his pile. They dumped their loads in a designated corner of the room, where Miu put the bear in front of them and told him to stand guard. The bear looked confused but stayed at his post.

            Maki and Shuichi decided to discuss the antidote with everyone. Maybe they'd know where to find golden apples and bug-free green hair. As luck would have it, Ryoma did know where to find green hair.

            "I heard a rumor that the royal family in the Amami Kingdom all have green hair. Their kingdom's a four day journey from us, apparently, but that's if we go by carriage."

            "Four days?!" Shuichi exclaimed. "Where are even going to find a carriage? Sure, we could walk and hope we run into one, but that'd take too much time, and we might not even succeed!"

            "Calm your horses, Shuichi," Kokichi said, flippantly relaxed as always. "Say, my dear Miu, you wouldn't happen to be able to make us a wagon to get there, no?"

            "Of fucking course! My genius brains will get us there in half the time it'll take!"

            "Where will you even get the parts for this wagon?" Maki asked, still skeptical of Miu's so-called "genius."

            "I'll just use the fucking spinning wheel, duh-doy!"

            "You can't just use evidence like that!" Shuichi said.

            "Yeah, Miu! How dumb are you?" Kokichi joined in. "Couldn't we just ask Little Ms. Witch to magic us a carriage?"

            "Why'd ya ask me to make you something if you were just gonna ask the fuckin' midget?!"

            "Making a wagon is too much of a pain," Himiko said. "Though I guess I could conjure some parts for you guys. It's low mana. You're gonna have to draw what they look like though."

           By conjure, Himiko actually meant putting giant cookie cutters on the trees. Of course they weren't actual cookie cutters, though they were both similar, these ones used to cut wood instead of cookies. Tenko and the bear assisted Himiko in making them after Miu had given them sketches of the parts she needed. They finished in about two hours, Miu supervising them to make sure they were perfect. Smoke rose up in the air as the cutters sunk into the tree, removing irregular chunks from the trees. Everyone was helping out by then, giving the wood pieces to Miu who was in a clearing nearby. They were all sweaty and tired by sunset, but it was all worth it to see the sleek wagon finally assembled. Whatever else Miu may brag about, her inventions truly were amazing. No one really knew the actual mechanics of the wagon, but from Miu's ramblings they were sure it could get them to Amami Kingdom quickly.

            "Alright, son, why don't you be a good boy and go into the wheel for your mama?" Miu said to the bear, gesturing to a tiny wheel attached to the underside of the carriage.

            "He's not your son!" Tenko exclaimed. "And he's not going with you guys."

            "But the wagon won't fucking work without him!" Miu exclaimed. "And it's not like he'd have much to do with you shitty losers, right son?"

            "If mama says so," the bear replied.

            "Nyeh, he can go for a while," Himiko said. "Just bring him back soon."

            "If you're okay with it, Himiko!" Tenko said enthusiastically.

            Miu picked up the bear and placed him on the tiny wheel, telling him to just keep running. When Tsumugi asked if that would tire him out, Miu revealed that the bear didn't feel exhaustion, with Himiko confirming the same. 

            Once everyone had gotten into the wagon, Miu placed a tarp on top of the four poles on the corners of the wagon, tying them together with rope. "So we can ride in style!" she said. It was a rather short tarp, only reaching to an inch below the poles, so they still had a good view of their surroundings. With the night coming up, it was kind of unnecessary to have a tarp, but they knew they'd be grateful for it the next morning. 

            Tenko sent the boys off with a warning, telling them that she'd flip them all to the point where they could no longer move if they even touch a hair on the girls. "Shuichi's a bit less of a degenerate, but my threat still stands," she had said, glaring at Shuichi. They watched the figures of Himiko and Tenko walk back into their hole, growing tinier with each passing second. Soon all they saw were the shadowy trees whizzing by, the chirping of crickets pervading the air. Those were easily drowned out by the bickering of Kaito and Kokichi, who immediately got into another argument. Luckily, Miu was too busy steering the wagon to join in, Ryoma telling her the directions. It was strange seeing Miu so focused. Tsumugi and Shuichi continued their talk about the Cold Case, Gonta was admiring all the plant life on "Earth," and Maki sat in comfortable silence taking everything in. As the sun fell down the horizon, Miu was getting sleepy, with Kokichi already taking a nap, though he could have been faking it. Very reluctantly, Miu relinquished control of the steering lever to Ryoma, who showed no signs of tiring. Shuichi wondered how Ryoma knew the way so well, but Ryoma deflected his questions. His theories on Ryoma lulled him to sleep. Everyone else followed suit, with only Kaito and Ryoma left awake. No one woke up when Ryoma stopped the wagon after a few hours, but Kaito quietly asked him what was wrong. Even he had the decency to keep quiet for sleeping people.

            "I'm ashamed to admit it, but I think I lost us. I still have a long ways to go, huh?" Ryoma said.

            Kaito didn't respond, instead intently scanning the sky. After a while he pointed his finger and said "That way's definitely north."

            "Hm, how'd you figure that?"

            "I'm Luminary of the Stars, of course I know how to read them!"

            "The stars, huh? I learned about them once, but it never made much sense. It's pretty impressive you know them so well."

            "Thanks! I'm sure you have something you're good at too, Ryoma. Oh, what about tennis?" Kaito asked, remembering their earlier conversation about it.

            Ryoma smiled wryly. "Once upon a time, maybe, but I doubt I have a right to play anymore."

            "What do ya mean? Tennis isn't something people have a "right" to play."

            "... It's a long story," Ryoma said softly. "Wouldn't want to be a downer now. You said that way's north, right?"

            "Huh? Y-yeah," Kaito said, going along with the change in topic. "Which way're we headed?"

            "East. Apparently the terrain near Amami Kingdom's filled with boulders. The paths are steep too."

            "That sounds pretty dangerous."

            "It helps when your kingdom's under attack. You have the geographical advantage."

            "I never thought of that, but it makes a lot of sense. You know a lot about castle defense, don't you Ryoma?"

            "I guess," Ryoma said. "We should probably wrap this up. Don't want to wake up the others now."

            "Okay, but you sure you can keep driving all night?" 

            Ryoma nodded curtly.

            "What if you get lost again?" Kaito asked, to which Ryoma didn't have a response. Kaito decided to stay up with Ryoma, just in case they needed to find the way again. Nights of star-gazing behind Maki's back improved Kaito's ability to stay awake. When Ryoma occasionally asked him about their location, Kaito'd look up for a second then report back. This continued until even the Luminary of the Stars had to sleep, leaving Ryoma alone with his thoughts. Honestly, he was extremely skeptical of the "new recruits" Kokichi brought back. He doubted they'd be joining them seriously. Nonetheless, he was glad he met Kaito and Maki. The others weren't half bad as well.  It had been a while since he had been around people other than Kokichi and Miu, much less hold a conversation without having to deal with madness. Ryoma wondered if he even deserved this.  _Kokichi'd probably disapprove, and Miu'd definitely call me stupid for wondering that,_ he thought. Ryoma truly was surrounded by wonderful people.

            

            

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry the chapter's a bit shorter than usual. I wanted to get it out quickly since it's already pretty late. As always, I hoped you enjoyed and feel free to comment if you want to. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.


	6. Chapter 6

            No one had ever wanted Kokichi to tag along, but when had Kokichi ever done anything people wanted? Luckily it was just him, Shuichi, and Tsumugi, so it wasn't complete chaos. Nevertheless, the few minutes they spent in the toll booth line were not what one would call peaceful.

            "Are you  _sure_ you're the royal seamstress, Tsumugi? You're awfully plain for such a prestigious position. Even I'd be a better seamstress, and I can't knit for anything! Seriously, I almost stabbed myself to death trying to make a scarf," Kokichi said, shuddering as if recalling the moment.

            "Don't talk to Tsumugi that way," Shuichi chided. He didn't offer any sympathy for Kokichi's failed attempt at knitting.

            "Silence!" Kokichi ordered. "This is a conversation between  _important_ people, not lowly peasants."

            "I am not a peasant," said Shuichi, unable to resist himself. "On the contrary--"

            "Know who you're speaking to,  _peasants_ , for I am Prince Ernest," finished Tsumugi, grinning. "That was from the False Prince of Galea, right?"

            "Ugh, I expected this level of geekiness from Plain Jane here, but to think you of all people..." Kokichi sighed dramatically.

            The man at the booth sighed as well, this time in exhaustion. "Another one... Man, why can't we get a break?"

            "O-oh! Sorry about that," apologized Shuichi, flushing slightly. "Um, we were wondering if you'd let us--"

            "No."

            "H-huh? I didn't even finish--"

            "No," the man said again. "Now get out. You're holding up the line."

            "We have the royal seamstress of Akamatsu Kingdom here, and we have some business--"

            "Leave already," the man interrupted. "I don't care if you have the royal seamstress or whatever, you guys aren't allowed in."

            Shuichi was about to retort, but the man's glare and shooing gesture made him think otherwise. He gave a helpless look to Tsumugi and went to rejoin the others, Tsumugi following. Surprisingly, Kokichi went along without a fuss.

            Kaito and the others were waiting near enormous boulders in the ravine. The rocks were at least twenty times taller than Gonta. As such, there was no way to get past them except by using a path being guarded by men from Amami Kingdom. Shuichi, Tsumugi, and Kokichi went to the toll booth near the path to see if they would be allowed to use it. Sure, they were all broke, but maybe Tsumugi's status would've granted them some leverage. Sadly, no dice.

            Maki offered to threaten the man, but that was quickly shot down just in case he called the guards on them. Still, Shuichi would be lying if he said the offer wasn't tempting. Miu's idea of seduction was also shot down, this one for completely different reasons. Kaito said he'd try to convince the guy, but he was politely declined. Tsumugi's, Gonta's, and Shuichi's suggestions were also quickly dismissed. They then suddenly noticed the absence of one of them. Turning to the guards, their worst fears came true when they saw Kokichi talking to one of the men. Kokichi waved a sheathed sword, and the weaponless guard immediately engaged Kokichi in a game of cat and mouse. Despite their desire to stay out of it, Kokichi ran toward them and had the audacity to wink at them.

            "Come on, slow pokes!" he yelled, beckoning them to run with him. They didn't have much choice in the matter. The guard was joined by others once they saw their comrade's mad dash, and since Kokichi was so kind as to involve them in this, they were forced to turn tail and run. Shuichi had trained with Maki and Kaito before all this, but he was running out of breath fast as they dodged the remaining guards at the path. Ryoma wasn't even sweating, keeping pace with Kokichi at the front easily. Maki and Gonta themselves had no trouble catching up as well. Kaito was just behind them, leaving Miu and Tsumugi to join Shuichi at the back. The guards chasing them like mad dogs spurred all of them on, regardless of their athleticism. 

            The man at the booth sighed as they all ran past him. At least they were gone now. Looking to the startled line in front of him, he called "Next!" And this time, he didn't prevent anyone from moving on. Boy was he glad he could do his job now.

            As the three in the back began slacking, Gonta took it upon himself to carry them all. He did not slow one bit despite the three extra people. 

            While this path was clear of boulders, they did have to maneuver around the other people on the path. Luckily, Kokichi, Maki, and Ryoma proved themselves agile. Gonta's size intimidated everyone in front of him, causing them to make way. With his loud voice, Kaito shouted at people to get out of the way, which they did when they saw the angered guards. Shuichi regretted leaving their wagon behind. It would've been useful right then. Oh well, they'd probably go back and get it later. That is, if they weren't caught and arrested first.

            It wasn't long before their frantic pace started slacking. Kokichi led them into a crevice just big enough for the eight of them. Shuichi didn't even notice it, and he wasn't even running. Still, that just meant the guards wouldn't notice it easily either. It was a tight fit, especially with Gonta's stature, but they made it work. None of them spoke. Only the guards' heavy footsteps and shouts filled the silence until they ran past and grew fainter. All of them sighed in relief. Maki, being closest to the opening, peeked out and nodded when she was sure no guards were near. They slowly got out, grumbling after being crammed together for what felt like hours. 

            "We're _all_ criminals now!" Kokichi announced, though his voice was quiet. "And you guys are finally official members of my merry band." After running away from the authorities, none of them could deny that assertion. Still, none of them would ever consider themselves part of Kokichi's band.

            "So Tsumugi! I don't suppose you could make us disguises now?" inquired Kokichi.

            "Sorry," said Tsumugi. "I don't have enough fabric or tools to work with."

            "Useless," Kokichi scoffed. "Guess it's up to plan S."

            "Don't you mean Plan B?" Shuichi asked.

            "B's not a letter of the alphabet, silly. Anyways, Plan S! Steal some person's clothes when they pass by!" Kokichi continued.

            "There's no way in hell we're doing that!" protested Kaito.

            Maki sighed, looking resigned. "As much as I hate to admit it, that seems like our only option."

            "Maki Roll?!"

            "Maybe we can just steal their spare clothes?" Shuichi suggested, also acquiescing to the plan. "Most of the people here would be travelers coming to Amami Kingdom, so they probably packed extra clothes with them."

            "You too, bro?!" Kaito said. "Even if it's just extra clothes, stealing's wrong. And where are we going to find clothes for Gonta or Ryoma?"

            "Don't worry about it," Kokichi replied. "And who cares if stealing's wrong? It's for a good cause, and sacrifices have to be made for the greater good, you know."

            Kaito was sure Kokichi's cause was anything other than good, but he supposed waking everyone up was more important right now. Gritting his teeth, he gave his consent.

            "Leave it to me, suckers!" Miu declared. "With my looks and body, they'd strip naked in front of me with just a fucking word!" Her confidence was eroded by the stares the others gave her. "W-what?!"

            "Actually, you  _do_ get to seduce some people today, as much as I regret it," Kokichi said, shocking everyone. He proceeded to explain Plan S: Miu, Shuichi, and Tsumugi would come up and chat with some people, acting as distractions. Then Ryoma and Kokichi would swoop in and steal their suitcases. Begrudgingly, Kaito accepted his appointed role as the bystander, ordered to shout "Thief!" once Ryoma and Kokichi made their move. Gonta was uncomfortable with the plan, but he understood it needed to be done.

            The plan went mostly well, Tsumugi making amiable conversation and Miu overwhelming someone with her "seductive" behavior. Shuichi, on the other hand, was making things very awkward for his person, making small talk about the weather and then letting the conversation die out. Kokichi face-palmed. Sure, he knew Shuichi was a bit socially awkward, but never _this_ bad. He was a master criminal though, so he knew how to deal. Giving the signal, Ryoma and he jumped out and snatched a suitcase each. Before their owners had time to notice, Kaito yelled "Thief!" giving the two thieves enough time to run back to the crevice. Kaito followed quickly as people looked frantically for the supposed criminal. 

            In the crevice waited Tsumugi, who lowered the suitcases once they were delivered. She found sewing tools in them and enough fabric to work with. Tsumugi would've liked a tape measure as well, but she didn't have the time nor the tools for it. Her experience as the royal seamstress allowed her to estimate everyone's measurements though. The lack of professional tools made sewing slow in Tsumugi's view, but everyone was impressed when she finished in thirty minutes  _and_ already disguised herself. "I change fast," she explained.

            A very annoyed Maki and cackling Miu went in to change in their outfits. No one knew what Maki did, but they didn't hear a single suggestive comment from Miu in the cavern or outside the cavern. Miu was shaking when she came out, though no one mentioned it. All of the guys went in together, and they did their best to ignore Kokichi's chatter as they changed.

            Shuichi was anxious about leaving his cloak behind. He knew he'd be recognizable with it, but he didn't want to leave something his uncle made him in some crevice. That, and  _how_  was he supposed to avoid people's eyes now? Tsumugi's disguise had sadly not included a hat. Well, if Tsumugi was willing to leave her cloak behind, then he would too, he supposed. The others were also leaving their old clothes behind, along with the stolen sword.

            Coming out, he joined the newly disguised group. All of them were wearing long sleeves and pants, courtesy of the slight chill. Some were totally different, with Maki sporting a big bun and sunglasses, along with a leather jacket that favored fashion over function. Others were like Kokichi, who wore a wig that Tsumugi somehow made to disguise his distinctive hair. He had also taken off his mask, revealing a child-like face belying his lying personality. Gonta still stood out with his big stature, and Ryoma with his small one. They couldn't do anything about it though, so they'd hope no one would recognize them right now. A lot of them were wearing straw hats, much like the other tourists passing by. Tsumugi had really done her job well; they joined the crowd seamlessly. Even when the guards had passed them on the way back, the men didn't even spare them a glance.

            It wasn't long before they noticed the elegant two-story houses pervading Amami Kingdom. Their walls were criss-crossed with dark beams, highlighting the tan and grey surfaces. A gigantic spire rose above them, with a clock right underneath. They weren't even in the city yet, but they could tell that it was beautiful. Its grandeur did nothing to distract them from the wanted posters on the wall, though. More specifically ones with Shuichi's face. 

            "Wha-- why is my face on there?! And why do I have a bounty?!"

            "I think the  _real_ question here is why  _my_ face isn't on it! All that work as Robin Hood, and they draw  _you_ instead. They even offered 1,000 gold!"

            "True. If we're all trespassers, then we should all have posters too," Ryoma said. "Though it's impressive that they already have one. Pretty well done too."

            "Yeah, they really did you justice, bro!"

            "Gonta think picture make Shuichi look like gentleman!"

            "That doesn't make me feel better," Shuichi muttered.

            "Really? 'Cause _I_ think he still looks like a fucking twink. They'd do better with someone like _moi_ on there."

            "Are we going to move on or not? We can't just gawk at Shuichi's picture all day," Maki grumbled. 

            "You're totally right, Maki Roll! Alright then, let's go!" Kaito pumped a fist into the air and sprinted toward the gate. Guards were stationed there, as expected, though with the amount of people being allowed through, they seemed pretty lenient. Kokichi ran after him, just as enthusiastic, though maybe not as good-willed. The others also trailed along. Tsumugi seemed really nervous about entering though. Shuichi didn't notice, too caught up in the fact that he had a  _bounty_ on his head. Yeah, it said to capture him alive, but he didn't do anything to warrant this. He did agree with others that it was strange _they_ didn't have ones, though. 

            Shuichi did his best to keep his head down, making sure his glasses didn't slide off his face. Sweat slicked off his face as he passed the guards, and he was certain he felt their eyes on his back, daring him to make a wrong move. The others moving to obscure his face did nothing to lessen his anxiety.

            "Don't let it get to you to much," Ryoma said.

            "H-huh?" Shuichi responded lamely.

            "You're pretty well-disguised right now, and you're with all of us, so don't worry so much about getting caught. Trust me, that amount of paranoia will only hurt you in the end. And believe it or not, Kokichi can be reliable when he wants. Miu as well. Your friend Maki seems prepared for a fight too, and I'm sure Kaito would fight for you. Gonta's really strong too. Honestly, I'm kinda jealous."

            "Are you trying to cheer me up?" asked Shuichi. He got only a huff in reply, making him smile. "Thanks, Ryoma. It helped a bit. Just know that I think Maki considers you a friend, too. Kaito as well."

            "Is that so?" he asked.

            "Yeah," Shuichi said, nodding firmly to quell Ryoma's skepticism. "And while we haven't talked much, I'd like to be friends too. That is, i-if you want to."

            "You know, we could've used this level of social competency back in the ravine," Ryoma joked, smirking.

            Shuichi was surprised to hear Ryoma joking like that. It went against the serious, brooding character he thought Ryoma to be back at their first encounter. He laughed sheepishly at the jab though. "I'm not  _that_ bad-- am I?"

            "It was enough to make Kokichi face-palm," he replied. "I felt like doing that, too. Then again, I probably wouldn't have done much better in your shoes. Guess we've both got a long ways to go, huh?"

            "Probably," he said, laughing more. Ryoma even joined him with a chuckle or two. Whatever doubts he had about Ryoma could wait. Now, he was just Shuichi's friend. The look on his uncle's face if he heard Shuichi had a wanted poster  _and_ made friends with Robin Hood's band made him giggle. His mood sobered when he remembered their situation. Right, now they had to get to the castle somehow.

            Amami Castle made for an imposing figure, made of light gray stones with a green flag waving in the wind. It rest atop a hill, with barbed walls surrounded the premises. If Shuichi squinted he could make out tiny figures stationed there.

            Their problem was that Amami Castle was extremely far away, and they were all exhausted after the chase. Carriages were out of the question, since they were utterly broke. The top priority then was to get money to either a) get a carriage or b) rest at an inn after everything that had happened. Miu was extremely good at making machines, so maybe they could sell one of those? Or Shuichi could help people find missing pets? He had a lot of experience with that back at Akamatsu Kingdom. 

            "What are you thinking about?" Ryoma asked.

            Shuichi blinked. Did he space out again? He really needed to stop doing that. "So-sorry Ryoma. Just wondering how we're going to get money, is all."

            "Stealing, obviously."

            "Ryoma!"

            The shorter man laughed. "Kidding, kidding. Though getting money  _will_ be a problem and-- what are they doing?"

            It seemed the others had continued ahead of the duo, and Shuichi wasn't sure what happened from then to now. Kaito was yelling at Kokichi to get down from a tall statue from which the latter was juggling balls from who knows where. He leaped down and skillfully evaded Kaito's lunge, earning applause from the crowd that formed. Kokichi said something to them that Shuichi couldn't hear, but he noticed people putting money in Miu's outstretched straw hat. Tsumugi was arguing with her, it seemed like. As Shuichi and Ryoma ran to the commotion, Kokichi yelled something to Gonta before jumping towards him. The giant lifted him up and held him above his head, away from Kaito's reach. Maki was sighing and shaking her head.  _Well, that's one way to make money,_ Shuichi sighed mentally. Weirdly enough, Miu's hat had already filled to the brim, causing the girl to try and take Tsumugi's.

            "I thought we disguised ourselves to  _avoid_ attention!" complained Tsumugi.

            "Well, we need the cash, so hand your fucking hat over Slutmugi!" Miu swiped again at the item, but Tsumugi dodged her.

            "Th-they only have my wanted poster, so I guess this isn't too risky," Shuichi said, trying to quell the argument. 

            Tsumugi frowned and sighed, handing her hat over to Miu who grabbed it greedily. "I still think all this attention is plain bad. Ugh, I should've given you a hat or something. Sorry, Shuichi." While he too would've liked a hat, he assured Tsumugi that it was fine. They sat down on a bench and decided to enjoy the show a bit.

            Apparently the crowd thought Kokichi and Kaito were performing a play somehow, and Kokichi's constant narration didn't detract from that impression. The small boy stood atop Gonta like a king, riling up Kaito until his face was an overripe tomato. Seeing that his taunts were having effect, Kokichi was about to jump down and scurry off again, but he was suddenly tackled off of Gonta. Kaito had climbed up a nearby roof and pounced at the prankster. He held Kokichi up like he would a toddler and even scolded him like a father, shaking him all the while. The audience seemed highly amused at Kokichi's "This isn't how you should treat your son!", throwing more gold coins into Miu's hats. She'd somehow got a couple audience members to lend their hats as well. Later she'd explained she had "seduced" a couple people. 

            Maki told the others not involved that she was going to look for an inn. She took one of the full hats and left, Shuichi walking with her. He wanted to make sure she wouldn't threaten people too much. That left Tsumugi and Ryoma on the bench together in awkward silence. Ryoma was thinking about breaking it, but he didn't know how friendly he wanted to get with the girl. He thought back to Shuichi's offer of friendship and Kaito's help in the forest and decided to talk. 

            "So, have you ever been to Amami Kingdom at all?" he said. 

            "Huh? Oh, uh, never. But I have met Prince Amami before."

            "Prince Amami?" Ryoma whistled. "That's pretty impressive. I've heard he has a lot of siblings."

            "12 sisters, actually," Tsumugi said, causing Ryoma's eyes to widen. "Yeah, I was surprised too. He told us-- me and Princess Kaede-- while he was painting her nails."

            "He visited Akamatsu Kingdom? I never heard about that. Is it because the Amami's like to stay secretive?"

            "I'm surprised you know that Ryoma, but yeah. He's visited quite a bit, usually in disguise. Said that his family didn't want to make too much of a ruckus and "alert assassins to his location." I think they're just plain paranoid if you ask me. I don't understand what Princess Kaede sees in that guy."

            "She likes him, huh? You think they're ever going to get married?"

            "Oh no, not like that! Just in a friendly way, you know? But if Prince Amami likes her that way, know he'll have to do a lot to get my approval, which, plainly, he'll never get."

            "Someone's overprotective," Ryoma commented.

            "I wouldn't call myself _overprotective_. It's more that I just want Princess Kaede to find someone that makes her happy, and I really doubt that _he_ will of all people." 

            "You two sound really close."

            "I guess we are. Princess Kaede was-- and is-- one of the only people to pay attention to plain old me. I'm really thankful to have met her."

            "How did you guys meet, anyway?" Ryoma wondered, genuinely curious. "Now that I think about it, aren't you a bit young to be the royal seamstress?"

            Tsumugi turned bashful. "Normally, yeah, but Princess Kaede vouched to get plain old me the position." Tsumugi began telling an account of hers and Princess Kaede's first meeting to Ryoma, who listened intently.

             _A lady in an elegant dress walked through the grand halls of Akamatsu Castle. Gripping the edge of her dress was a shy blue-haired girl of eleven, keeping close to her mother. In her free hand was a basket of knitting tools. Tsumugi always accompanied her mother to the castle, acting as an assistant of sorts. It was mesmerizing to watch her mother at the spinning wheel, creating beautiful clothing in minutes. Watching her mother, Tsumugi had made up her mind to become a seamstress like her. Her mother even gave Tsumugi her own spinning wheel. The young girl would help make some clothing as well, usually hats and scarves._

 _As they walked to the knitting room, Tsumugi hid behind her mother even more when a purple-eyed girl walked toward them. She was talking to a bunch of other kids. They were some of the servants' kids, if Tsumugi remembered correctly. She had never really tried talking to any of them before. Tsumugi squeaked when the girl made eye-contact with her. That was_  the _Princess Kaede, heir to the kingdom and definitely miles above Tsumugi in every way. The princess smiled at her as she extended her hand. What did she want from her? Money? A new scarf, maybe? It_ was _getting kind of chilly, being autumn._

_"Uh--uhm, sorry, I'm really busy making other things, but I'll be sure to make you a great scarf later!"_

_“What?" Princess Kaede said, bemused. "I just wanted a handshake. I'm Kaede, by the way. What's your name?"_

_"Oh, I-I'm Tsu-Tsumugi. It's nice to-- I'm really honored to meet you!"_

_Her mother started chuckling. "Why don't you go play with Princess Kaede, dear? I'll be just fine on my own."_

_Tsumugi really didn't want to, but her mother insisted, so she stayed. The other kids invited her to the courtyard, where they started running around playing hide and seek. Princess Kaede would be the seeker this round. Tsumugi had never explored much of the castle, preferring to stick with her mother, but she found some room in a bush by a pond. She startled anytime Kaede yelled "Found ya!" but quickly got used to it. It was amazing how much energy the princess seemed to have. Somehow, Tsumugi was the last to be found, making her the next round's seeker. The shy girl slowly found herself enjoying everyone's company._

_Later, after games of tag and pretend, they were having a picnic in the courtyard, a maid bringing them their food._

_"Tsumugi?" the maid asked, pleasantly surprised. "I haven't seen you out here before. Well, no matter. I'm glad you're making friends now. Thank you for the apron, by the way. It hasn't even frayed once."_

_Princess Kaede's eyes widened. "Woah, you made that? That's so cool, Tsumugi!" She reached out and touched the maid's apron, causing the woman to laugh. "It's so soft! And the flower pattern in the corner's really cute!"_

_"Tsumugi is really talented, isn't she?" the maid said. Princess Kaede nodded in agreement, offering a very enthusiastic "Yeah!"_

_"I'm not th-that good, but thank you," said Tsumugi, blushing a ton._

_After that, Princess Kaede took to playing with her every time she came by. They bonded over their shared interest in plays. While Princess Kaede was more interested in the music, they still got along really well. Months passed, and Tsumugi's mother revealed she wanted to retire and live with her husband in the town._

_"Tsumugi would make a great seamstress in my place though, don't you agree Princess Kaede?" It was clear to her mother Tsumugi had a passion for knitting and sewing, if all the times she happily worked at the spinning wheel were any sign._

_"Mm! You'd be so great at it, Tsumugi."_

_King Akamatsu, being very lenient and complaisant towards his daughter, bestowed upon Tsumugi the position, starting her career as the royal seamstress._

            Ryoma huffed. "The king hasn't changed much since then. Even built his daughter a statue in the royal gardens."

            "You know about that? Oh, was it when you guys replaced all the silverware with sticks?"

            "Yeah, sorry about that by the way."

            "Don't worry about it! It was easy to make new ones anyway, and you guys sold them and donated the money to that orphanage near the apothecary, right? That was plain sweet of you."

            "Most royalty wouldn't think that," Ryoma said, expression growing distant.

            "I wouldn't exactly consider myself royalty, though I do admit it's a strange opinion for someone as plain as me." Tsumugi didn't comment on the way Ryoma seemed to be talking from experience. "Have you ever seen the False Prince of Galea?" asked Tsumugi, trying to distract her companion. Her expression morphed into pure shock when he shook his head. "Where have you been living all this time, a cave? The False Prince of Galea is so good! It's about this man named Winston who pretends to be the long lost son of the king who was kidnapped years ago. Winston grew up really poor, so he faked his identity to see what castle life was like."

            "It's really not worth going through all that trouble for," Ryoma said. "Sorry about that, can you keep going?"

            Tsumugi nodded, excited to talk about her favorite play and distract Ryoma from whatever he was thinking about. Later, she was sure she earned a fellow fan in Ryoma, whom she promised to take to a play later once everyone woke up.  _Yeah_ _,_ Tsumugi thought,  _We'll wake everyone up and everything will be okay again. It has to be._             

* * *

  
            Maki and Shuichi came back from their excursion, having already rented rooms for all of them. They were now currently eating a nice lunch at the inn. Kokichi demanded they give him panta, but the servers refused even after he explained what it was. That caused him to pout and cross his arms, refusing to eat anything. Kaito didn't really care, eating Kokichi's share when the boy made it clear he wasn't going to. After they finally ate a proper meal after two days of rations on the wagon, they all decided to explore Amami Kingdom before they headed to the castle. It'd be a shame to not see the kingdom in all its glory. So that was how the group was split in two, each taking one of the money-filled hats. One group was to get more rations for their inevitable departure, and the other parts for if the wagon broke. Speaking of the wagon, when Shuichi asked if leaving it behind was a good idea, Miu said that "her son would do a fucking wonderful job guarding it."

            Shuichi was not allowed to go with them, for fear of someone recognizing him, so he was stuck waiting in his inn room in boredom. Despite them only picking this inn because it was cheap, the bed was surprisingly soft. There was another identical bed across the room. Shuichi was sure that the other room they rented would be like this one.

            They had decided on who would stay with whom already: the Robin Hood band along with Shuichi would take one room while the rest got the other one. Maki and Kaito were concerned that their childhood friend was staying with three infamous criminals, but Shuichi assured them he'd be fine. He had a friend in Ryoma at least. He wasn't sure if Ryoma returned his feelings though. Kokichi wasn't all that bad either, and he hadn't gotten to hang out with Miu too much, but he was sure the girl wouldn't try to hurt him in any way. 

            He let his thoughts wander to the Mass Sleep. Now that they had an antidote, did it even matter if they found out who caused this? What was he saying, of course it mattered. The person needed to be brought to justice. Shuichi was sure his uncle would scold him for his thoughts from before. He was always saying that it was their job as detectives to find the truth, nothing more and nothing less. Shuichi took up his uncle's mantra, and he had his suspicions as to who the culprit was, but... 

            Shuichi sighed. Revealing the truth had always been hard, especially after that one case, and that didn't change now either. But he had to, for more than just himself. Besides, he still needed to gather more evidence to support his theory.

            After minutes of staring at the ceiling, boredom quickly ate away at him, to the point where he started pacing the room. He couldn't go outside for obvious reasons. For now he decided to go hang out in the main room. Maybe get some more info as to why  _he was on a wanted poster._

            The inn didn't have many people at the moment, the few there spread out sparsely and drinking. Before Shuichi could approach someone and interrogate them, a stranger walked through the door. He was tall, taller than Shuichi, and had shaggy black hair underneath a straw hat that covered his eyes along with his bangs. If Shuichi hadn't seen Tsumugi's wigs for them, he would've thought the stranger's hair was real. As it stands though, compared to Shuichi's own wig, it was an alright rendition of hair. The stranger's height might not have been real either, if the high-soled boots he was wearing were any indicator.

            "John, welcome back!" greeted the innkeeper.

            "It's nice to see you again, Stewart," the stranger said in kind. His voice was even and deep, but not as much as Ryoma's. It was the voice of someone around Shuichi's age, probably.

            John, a fairly common name that wouldn't attract too much attention to someone. A pretty good alias to have. Shuichi had every right to be suspicious of this 'John,' but he himself was hiding from the law, so he couldn't complain. Of course John had to come and sit at  _his_ table though. Out of all the tables he could've sat at.  _As long as he doesn't talk to me, I'll be fi--_

            "So, I haven't seen you around before." John said. "You new here?"

             _Darn it._ "Y-yeah. Do you come by this inn often?"

            John seemed a bit surprised. "You could tell?"

            "Uh, yeah. The innkeeper seemed to know you, and you a-asked if I was new, implying you know most of the people that come here."

            "Color me impressed," he said, whistling. "Mind if I ask you your name?"

            Shuichi minded very much, but of course he couldn't say that. Luckily Kokichi came up with aliases for all of them beforehand. "Oh, I'm S-Sam."

            "It's nice to meet you, Sam. You probably heard Stewart say my name, but I'm John." John accepted the false name without any visible suspicion, much to Shuichi's relief.

            "It's nice to meet you too, John," Shuichi replied. Not knowing what else to say, he let the conversation die out. John's friendly smile became noticeably more strained.  _Maybe if I stop talking he'll leave me alone._

            "Have you heard of the new criminal here? Charmer I think they call him."

             _Or maybe not._ "Charmer? I've never heard of him."

            "You probably haven't, he  _is_ pretty new. Rumors say he snuck his way into the kingdom and is trying to kidnap one of the princesses."

            "What?! Are the princesses okay?" 

            "Yeah, he hasn't done anything yet, though I don't know how long that'll last..." John grew more solemn at the end, expression darkening. "Sorry, didn't mean to be a downer," he said, lightening up. "Just tell me if you hear anything about him, okay? And the police. I'm really worried for the princesses, you know."

            "I will, don't worry. The princesses must be really nice, for you to care about them this much."

            "They are," agreed John firmly. "Say, you're new to the kingdom, right?" When Shuichi nodded, he continued. "Which kingdom are you from then?"

            "Aka-Akamatsu Kingdom, uh, west of here."

            John's eyes seemed to glow in recognition. "I've heard about it before. What's it like there?" John seemed fascinated by the tales Shuichi told him, even though he didn't have many. Living in the forest with his uncle isolated him from the kingdom people a bit. He told John about his time with Kaito and Maki, and the infamous Robin Hood that ran around the streets. Shuichi didn't tell him about the Mass Sleep though, or how Robin Hood was in Amami Kingdom already. Nonetheless, John was enraptured by his stories, a sense of longing pervading off him. "I've always wanted to explore the world. There are just so many things I don't know about out there, you know? Stories are the next best thing though. Thanks for telling me about Akamatsu Kingdom, Sam."

            "Why can't you go explore?" Shuichi asked, interest peaked.

            Laughing nervously, John said "You could say that my family's really strict. They're hoping I take up the family business. It's pretty important, so it's not like I can refuse or anything."

            "Ah, I see. Have you ever tried talking to them about it though? They should understand if you want to do something different, right?"

            "What would be the point?" John said, sighing. "Don't get me wrong, they're good people and all, it's just... it seems selfish to put my own wants over my family's." He gave a weary smile. "Sorry for dumping all this on you. You probably don't want to hear about some random stranger's troubles."

            "D-don't worry about it! You're fine, really. Though..." John's raised eyebrow prompted Shuichi on. "Just-- at least try talking to your family about it, alright? I'm sure they'd understand. That is what family is for, right?

            "I guess... As much as it was nice to chat, I've really got to go now. Bye, Sam."

            "Ah, bye, John. See you again sometime?" 

            "... Maybe." John swiftly got up from the table and walked out the inn, his cloak swishing behind him. It didn't seem like John would take Shuichi's advice, but Shuichi sincerely hoped he at least considered it. He didn't know much about John's family, but John at least seemed to care about them, so they couldn't be all bad.

            His and John's conversation caused Shuichi remembered when he told his uncle he didn't want to do murder cases. Looking back, it was silly how nervous and scared he was of telling his uncle that. He could relate to John about feeling selfish. When he told his uncle as such, the man tsked and reassured him he wasn't. He said that Shuichi should do what made him feel comfortable, and not do things just for his uncle. Shuichi was surprised his uncle took it so well at the time. His gut feeling was telling him that John's family would be just as accepting. 

            A server came up to him and asked if he wanted a beer. Shuichi politely declined, but the server still insisted, saying that the beer was pretty good. He guessed that the beer hadn't been selling too well, and they were trying to make up for it. The server grew increasingly desperate, even offering it to him for half the price. Guilt and pity almost made him accept, but luckily everyone else had come back from shopping.

            Maki glared at the server. "If he doesn't want to drink, don't make him." That definitely caused the man to back off. Maki walked over to Shuichi, many bags in tow. "You really need to be more assertive."

            "Y-yeah, I'm still working on it." Upon looking at the rest of the group, he became confused. "Where are Mi-- Melissa and King?" Kokichi had insisted with his alias, saying it was only fitting for a supreme leader, whatever that meant.

            "They're working on some machine, or so they told me," Ryoma explained. 

 _Well that can't bode well,_ Shuichi thought, already scared of what the duo had in store.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters will probably be coming up monthly, I'm sorry to say. Writing doesn't come too easily, so it's hard to write chapters sometimes. I'm still enjoying writing this, so don't worry! Honestly, I never thought that many people would like this. Even though I'm saying it a lot, know that I mean it when I say thank you to all of you.
> 
> P.S. Is it bad I forgot Kokichi was wearing a mask until now?


	7. Chapter 7

            Rantaro was  _not_ overprotective. Yes, he created a whole elaborate test with secret phrases and sabotage to thwart his sisters' suitors, but that was completely reasonable! His sisters should have someone who actually loved them after all. And what better way to show your love than by saying "I am not a peasant" to some random stranger at a toll booth, becoming a criminal, and breaking into the castle just to marry someone? Now that takes true devotion.

            Of course, because of the... extreme conditions, Rantaro had been witness to many bizarre attempts to get into Amami Palace. One suitor had snuck in through the sewer system, which Rantaro and his father promptly trapped. Another had flown in on a hang glider. Someone even dug a tunnel into the dungeons. But never in a million years would Rantaro think he would be witness to people  _catapulting themselves over the castle wall_ _._  And on a boat no less.

            Everyone in the palace scurried around in panic when they saw the silhouette of a ship in the sky. The poor gardener had fainted when they landed on his meticulously trimmed flowerbed. Rantaro had seen the whole thing from his balcony, where he raced to when he first noticed the strange boat.

            Armored guards bursted into his chambers, spears and swords up. They lowered their weapons when they saw no immediate threat.

            "We are glad you are uninjured, Prince Amami," said the captain of the guards. "You three, stay by Prince Amami and make sure no harm comes to him. Everyone else, we will pursue the intruders."

            "Wait!" Rantaro exclaimed. "Are my sisters okay?"

            "They are well Prince Amami. Guards have already been stationed near all of them. Now if you will excuse us, we will take our leave." 

            The sound of clinking metal echoed through the quiet chamber. Rantaro sighed.  _I guess I should go prepare now._ He started walking out the room without warning. The guards, already accustomed to the routine, followed him to the throne room where the king awaited them. 

* * *

            Why Shuichi ever got on that boat he didn't know, but he truly regretted his decision. Maybe then he wouldn't have been running away from deadly guards with spears and swords alongside Kaito. 

            "Fuck that gremlin," Kaito panted as they rounded a corner. While Shuichi may not have worded it like that, he shared Kaito's sentiment wholeheartedly. Some vindictive part of Shuichi hoped Kokichi was caught by a guard already. 

            "Kaito, the bushes!" Shuichi yelled.

            "Gotcha!" Kaito replied, already diving into a large bush of purple flowers outside the castle. Shuichi ran into the bush next to it, taking care to not move a muscle.

            "Tch, it seems we have lost sight of them. It matters not, they could not have run far. You two, search those bushes over there. You three, continue on ahead. I will stay behind and search the perimeter."

            Only the noise of heavy iron footsteps filled the impending silence. The beating of his heart was so loud, Shuichi was surprised they hadn't found him ye-- it seemed he spoke too soon.

            "I've found one," declared a guard as he grabbed Shuichi by the collar and lifted him up. Another ran behind him and bound his hands tightly with rope. He winced as the rough material dug into his wrists. Abruptly dropping him, the guard who grabbed Shuichi pointed his spear at Shuichi's throat. "One wrong move and we will not hesitate to kill you, understood?" Behind him the other guard had his hands on his partly drawn sword. Shuichi gulped and nodded. 

            "Shuichi!" yelled Kaito as he (stupidly) leaped out of the bushes. "What are you doing to my sidekick, you bastards?!" His statement was met with the spear-point of another guard.

             _Oh, Kaito._ It was just like his friend to leap to action when he thought Shuichi was in danger.

            The two of them were forced to march down into the dungeons, where it was incredibly cold and damp. The cells were incredibly tiny, with bunks beds with straw matting tucked snugly in each one. On one of the mattress lay Kokichi, who waved at them casually. A guard was already stationed in front of his cell. "So nice of you to visit me in the dungeons! I was getting pretty bored here you know." Kaito, to his horror, was pushed into Kokichi's cell, while Shuichi was in the empty one next to it.

            Some of the guards had exited the dungeon while others stood behind and guarded them. It was silent except for the sound of dripping water. The stony floor was rough and wet, the walls covered with mold and dust. Shuichi felt the straw of his mattress, coarse and prickly porcupine needles against his skin. 

            "Nice place, huh?" Kokichi said suddenly. His voice echoed off the walls, making Shuichi's ears ring. The guards didn't react except for a momentary glance at Kokichi.

            "This is all your fault," Kaito said.

            "Hey, I only said I'd get us into the castle, and I did! Besides, you were the idiot who got on the boat."

            "How did you guys build a boat-catapult thing in less than a day anyway?" Shuichi asked.

            "I made the brownies do it! I  _am_ their supreme leader after all."

            "Fuck off. It was prolly Miu that did all the work anyway," Kaito snapped.

            "Out of all the ways she could've gotten us in, she made a catapult?" Shuichi said, still dumbfounded they had actually done such a thing.

            "Criminals have to drop in with flair, you know. Now our infamy has spread even farther, nishishishi!" 

            "Can you shut up, for like, two seconds?"

            Kokichi paused for two seconds before smirking and continuing. "Of course, Kaito! As an ultimate supreme leader, I can do anything!" He started laughing his obnoxious laugh again, the sound echoing well after he finished.

            "Can you  _please_ do something about this guy? Maybe move me to a different cell?" Kaito begged.

            The guard turned toward him, expression hidden behind his helmet. "I am afraid I can't do that. My condolences," he said with utmost sympathy. He had only been guarding Kokichi for a couple minutes before he decided he had enough. But duty was duty.

            Shuichi sat in his cell miserably, mood slightly lightened by Kaito and Kokichi's banter, but only slightly. Intense brightness suddenly flooded his eyes. He blinked a bit, and when his vision cleared, he saw Miu being pushed inside. His eyes widened in horror when the girl was clearly being pushed towards his cell. 

            "Wha-- you can't push the gorgeous girl genius around like this! And-- oooh no, you are  _not_ putting me in with fucking Pooichi."

            Her expression of shock and disgust mirrored Shuichi's own feelings. Out of all the people he could've been stuck with. It wasn't that he  _hated_ Miu, per say, but she was definitely hard to be around, especially for someone as meek as him. Miu herself didn't seem too eager to be around him, wrinkling her nose in disgust as she immediately took the top bunk. He looked away as she smirked and crossed one leg on top of the other, revealing her thighs. "Be grateful a virgin like you gets to stay with the fabulous me. I bet you've never seen someone this gorgeous in your sorry life before, eh Pooichi?"

            "Yeah! He must be scarred for life after looking at your hideous face for so long, you pig!" Kokichi chirped.

            "What did ya say, ya fucking abortion?"

             _And there we go again_ , Shuichi thought as he sighed. Looking out the bars, he saw Kaito at the bars as well, looking exhausted. They met each other's gaze and smiled a bit.

            "Who would've thought the Luminary of the Stars and his sidekick would end up in the dungeons? Hopefully Maki Roll's alright."

            Shuichi hoped so too, though he was starting to wish the no-nonsense girl was there with them when the bickering got to be too much to handle. Glancing at Miu, he immediately looked away. She had her legs crossed over each other, and her skirt was really short. Not to mention the smug smirk she was giving him. Before she could give him an innuendo, Shuichi asked the question that had been on his mind. 

            "Why did you make us a boat-catapult, Miu?" Shuichi said quickly.

            Miu blinked, startled at getting cut off. She recovered and said "First off, it's called a fuckin' Cataboat, and second off, because Cataboats are fuckin' genius, like yours truly!"

            "I know that, but why couldn't we have gone in on something else? Maybe something less conspicuous?"

            "That's a shitty way to get into a castle," Miu said. "Besides, the fucking guards wouldn't let us in anyway, even if they saw  _this_ gorgeous girl genius. The shitty sewers are blocked too. What, did you wanna dig a tunnel Pooichi? Sorry, but some loser already tried that and failed fucking miserably. The sewers are blocked too, according to the shota."

            "Kokichi?" Shuichi said.

            "The one and only!" called said boy from the other cell. "How else would the pig know any of this?"

            As expected, this started more bickering with Miu and Kokichi. Shuichi ignored it in favor of his own thoughts. Kokichi was an extremely suspicious person, making any info he offered just as suspicious. Why Miu would accept that info so readily and even build something based on that info was a bit confusing. She was part of Kokichi's band, so that could've been why. But then that raised even more questions for Shuichi. Miu seemed too prideful to let someone else lead, especially someone like Kokichi. Then again, Kokichi was, if nothing else, charismatic. Along with his many other qualities.

            Kaito must've jinxed Maki somehow, for the girl was pushed into a cell with Gonta, who was caught before her. Tsumugi and Ryoma joined the rest of them eventually, the banter having already died. Only the sound of the guards shifting filled the silent dungeon, with the occasional remark from Kokichi.

            Suddenly, the dungeon was flooded with light, and more soldiers marched on in. They halted in front of Shuichi's and Miu's cell. "Get out," one of them said, pointing and looking at Shuichi. Miu was cackling at Shuichi's startled face. "You are Charmer, correct?" He held out the familiar wanted poster with Shuichi's face. It seemed it had been updated, for the word 'Charmer' was written in bold below the picture. The guard seemed to take Shuichi's lack of response as a yes. "Take off your disguise."

            "Wh-what?" The guard repeated himself forcefully, galvanizing Shuichi into taking off his wig and glasses. With a nod and wave, another guard came in and yanked him out the cell.

            "Don't get executed now!" Kokichi called cheerfully as he was forcefully pulled up the dungeon steps.

            His eyes had a hard time adjusting to the sudden brightness and color. Luckily, Amami Castle wasn't furnished with too vivid colors, instead opting for navies and whites. Even the wooden furniture was dark, being made of spruce wood with smooth patinas. What really hit him though was the smell. The aroma of freshly baked bread and savory meat was almost too much to process after the musty smell of the dungeon. Shuichi found himself drooling a little. The beauty and aromas were almost enough to distract him from the situation. Almost. Shuichi gulped as he nervously asked a question he probably didn't want to know the answer to. "Um... you're not gonna-- you know, execute me, are you?" His anxiety almost drowned him as they continued to walk, none of the guards responding. Their silence was probably more ominous than if they had said yes.

            They passed many servants who were carrying trays. All of them were dressed in well-crafted clothes, even if they were simplistic. Shuichi received many strange looks. They may have been pity, but he wasn't sure. There were plenty of mildly interested looks as well, as if this were a common occurrence. So many possibilities whirled through his head, Shuichi never noticed them stopping in front of an ornate door. The guard rapped the wood, the sound of metal on wood neither pleasant nor unpleasant. "Come in," said the weary voice of a man.

            The doors were forced open, unveiling a room with even more navy tapestries and a crystalline chandelier hanging under the ceiling. At the end of the room sat a blonde man with olive green eyes, staring at him intently. Beside him stood a green? haired boy who gazed at him just as intently, if not more so. Shuichi blinked a couple times, unable to believe such a hair color existed. Sure, he saw Gonta's hair, but this guy's was much lighter in shade. At least their chances to make the antidote increased. Now they had to find a way to convince him to come with them just to pluck his hair-- not with that specific wording, of course.

            "You are Charmer," the blonde man said. It wasn't a question. Was Shuichi supposed to respond to that, or-- "I must say, you're quite a handsome young man, but good looks don't make a good husband."

            Husband?! What did he mean by that? Who was this guy, anyway? Since he was sitting on the throne, he had to be--

            "Excuse me for not introducing myself earlier," he said, interrupting Shuichi's train of thought once again. "I am Eichiro Amami, King of Amami Kingdom. The young man beside me is my son, Rantaro Amami." The boy, now named Rantaro, nodded in acknowledgement. "I have twelve other daughters, as you must know very well, all of whom would make very suitable wives. Of course, we will not accept just any bachelor for them. To gain the Amami family's approval, you must undergo a trial."

             _Wives? Trial? Does he think I'm a suitor or something?_ Shuichi was about to explain himself, but the king already started talking.

            "Getting into the castle was the first step, and I must say that while your methods were very unorthodox, you have done well to get inside. Now you must undergo the second step." The king cleared his throat. "Every night, my twelve daughters go to dance at an unknown location. Your task is to find out their location and bring proof you have been there. The guards and servants will not aid you in any way, but they will not hinder you either. You have three days to accomplish this, and if you fail, you shall be executed, and your companions will be imprisoned here for the rest of their lives."

            "What?!" Shuichi said instinctively. 

            "Be silent," commanded one of the guards.

            He gulped, but he didn't obey the order. After all, he had to clear up this gigantic misunderstanding. "Pardon me, sir-- your highness, but there's been a really big misundersta--"

            "Hold your tongue or we will cut it off for you," threatened the guard.

            "No, let him speak," said the king, and the guard nodded. "Continue."

            Shuichi rubbed his sweaty palms against his pants. "Like I said, there's been a big misunderstanding. I'm not here to marry your daughters or anyone."

            "Reverse psychology will get you nowhere, young man," the king said. "I've heard enough. Your chambers have already been prepared, and they are yours to rest in for your three day duration. During the day you will be allowed to explore the castle, but my and my family's chambers are off limits without our permission, as well as the war room. The dungeons are also off-limits, though you are allowed to visits your companions once after dinner on your third day. We will be holding a welcome feast in an hour in the dining hall, and we insist that you participate as the feast is for you. Do you need me to answer any inquiries?"

            Knowing that he'd never be able to explain himself now, Shuichi shook his head. The king also seemed a bit weary when asking if he wanted to ask something too. Best not to irritate him too much, even if Shuichi did have a lot more questions.

            The king imperceptibly sighed in relief. "Rantaro will give you a tour of the castle. Two of my guards shall accompany you."

            The boy walked passed Shuichi with a neutral expression. Shuichi could sense some animosity from him. Getting the cue, he hurried to Rantaro, the two guards quickly following them.

            The tour was completely silent except for Rantaro's brief explanations about the rooms. If not for his good memory, Shuichi wouldn't have been able to remember everything.  He kept an eye out for potential dancing places and secret rooms, but Rantaro's rapid pace didn't let him examine one place for too long. That was probably Rantaro's goal. Shuichi could wager a few guesses as to why-- after all, if he were the brother to twelve sisters, he'd be pretty protective of them too.

            "Um, Prince Rantaro--"

            "And that's your room," said Rantaro, pointing to one of the numerous spruce doors lining the corridor. He didn't even acknowledge Shuichi's attempt at conversation. Being the socially awkward fool he was, Shuichi didn't try again, instead focusing on remembering his room. 

            "Well, that's the end of the tour. You remember where the dining hall is, right?" Shuichi nodded. "Good. Hm, let's see, we've got--" Rantaro glanced at his wrist, where a golden wristwatch lay. "Ten minutes. We should probably head there now." Turning on his heel, Rantaro didn't look back as he went ahead. The animosity from before was still running strong.

            Shuichi did his best not to get left behind. All the while, he wondered why Rantaro disliked him so much. Something told him the guards wouldn't tell him anything. There wasn't anyone around to ask either; it seemed they had all gone to the dining hall already.

            Walking through the barren corridors was a jarring experience, especially after the activity from before. If he reached out, Shuichi was sure he could've touched the tension between the four of them right then. All his nerves on edge, he almost died of a heart attack from the sudden noise when the dining hall door was opened. His anxiety didn't lessen at all at the multitude of people there. Instead Shuichi decided to focus on the banquet tables, covered in silky navy cloth and appetizing delicacies. The hollowness of his stomach was a reminder that he had yet to eat today, but he controlled himself. He was in a castle after all, and no matter how much he wanted to devour all the food at once, proper etiquette reigned supreme. Suddenly he remembered his friends, who were probably starving in the dungeons right now. The friends that would be trapped here forever if Shuichi didn't pass this stupid test. 

            He didn't know if this would be considered lunch or dinner, but surely they'd allow him to bring something for his friends? The dungeon food couldn't be all that savory, after all. Wondering if they would let him take some food down or if he'd have to smuggle it himself, he didn't notice the king striding toward him.

            "There's no use standing there like a lost lamb," the king said. He seemed a bit more at ease than before.

            Shuichi jumped. "Oh, sorry your highness! I-I didn't see you there."

            The king chuckled, the sound deep but mirthful. "No worries, Charmer. Though I must admit I did not expect the man who flew on a boat to the castle to be so shy."

            He laughed awkwardly as he tried to fight his blush. Attempting his tactic of letting the conversation die, he soon realized that he may have to change tactics.

            "You remind me a lot of Emi, truth be told. She is my daughter and also quite shy as well. Though she is definitely not as rambunctious as you are." More awkward laughing didn't deter King Amami in the slightest. "Say, you wouldn't happen to have a name, would you, young man? Unless you'd prefer that I call you Charmer?"

            Shuichi was silent, debating whether to tell him his alias or real name. "... Shuichi," he decided. He was a horrible liar anyway, and his deception probably would've landed him in deeper trouble. A more morbid part of him reasoned that if he were going to get executed in three days, there would be no point in lying too.

            "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Shuichi."

            "And yours too, y-your highness," he said in kind. "Also, uh, about this trial..." The king beckoned him to go on. "I was wondering if my three days included today?"

            "They do, but why are you inquiring now?"

            "That's-- well, you had already talked a lot, and you seemed exhausted, so..." Shuichi scrambled to say something else, but his mind wasn't cooperating.

            The king's eyebrows went up. He thought he'd hidden his exhaustion pretty well. For this young man to notice and not press him further... Still, he was just like any of the other suitors, even if he was a tad more courteous. A strange feeling wormed its way into the king's stomach though.

            "Are you suggesting that I speak too much?" the king said, smirking as Shuichi tried to defend himself. "I only jest. Would you care to join me for a glass of wine, Shuichi?"

             "Ah, I'm sorry your highness, but I'll have to decline." No point getting intoxicated before he even started investigating.

            "Please, I insist. You don't have to drink more than one, and the wine isn't too intoxicating if that's what you're worried about."

            The king stared at him with such eager expectancy Shuichi couldn't bear to refuse. He hesitantly accepted. Broadly smiling, the king guided Shuichi towards one of the servants and politely asked for wine and two glasses. Shuichi was half expecting him to ditch him in the crowd; it seemed like something that Rantaro would've done. What he wouldn't have done though, Shuichi thought, was politely bring him a glass of wine. Sure, Rantaro's smile was a bit strained, and his speech was stiff, but it was nice of him to bring them the wine instead of the servant. The king laughed at the gesture, implying that this was a common thing.

            Drowsiness began to seep in him, but he blinked it away fine. Nonetheless, he took it as a sign that he should start investigating. First though, he was going to get a bite to eat. His uncle always told him to 'never investigate on an empty stomach.' It ruined your concentration, he would say. Weirdly enough, Rantaro also offered to bring Shuichi his food. He did his best to reject the offer, but the prince was insistent.

            "It would make matters easier for you if you accepted, Shuichi," the king advised. "My son is as stubborn as a mule." Rantaro gave his father a flat look, making the man chuckle.

            Sighing, Shuichi relented, bracing for the awkwardness to come. 

            It turned out that walking around with Rantaro wasn't as awkward as the first time. Maybe it was because there were people around that Rantaro acted a bit politer. Still, his forced smile never wavered for a second, and it was making Shuichi uncomfortable.

            "Here you are, Shuichi," Rantaro said, holding out a plate of juicy steak with a fork as well. Shuichi took it gratefully and did his best to eat slowly, but hunger eroded his manners as he scarfed the food down like a predator to its prey. At a much slower pace, Rantaro also ate his own meal, a nice helping of mash potatoes with bread and meat. 

            With every meal Rantaro gave him to devour, he somehow found himself growing more somnolent. The prince seemed to notice and offered to walk him back to his room. Too tired to ponder the offer, Shuichi consented. 

            He was only planning on staying until he got himself together, but the really soft bed begged to differ. Rantaro had already left, leaving him alone in the dark. The peaceful, quiet dark surrounding him as he desperately fought to keep awake. Getting up was a bad idea it turned out. His jelly legs gave out and flopped him onto the comfy bed, where his sleep-deprived brain decided it’d be good to spend a third of his days sleeping instead of investigating. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Just to let you know, I'll be going on vacation soon, so I probably won't be able to work on the fic for some time. I will do my best to get out the next chapter, but it could take longer than usual (though they already take very long). Anyways, have a nice day and thanks for reading this!
> 
> P.S. I got the format justified, which is why the chapter looks a bit weird, and I was wondering if you guys like it this way or if you like the old format better. I'll change the other chapters if you guys do like it.


	8. Chapter 8

            Eight spindly legs crawled up the dungeon wall, and Maki had to resist the urge to crush them. Last time she had almost killed a spider, Gonta’s eyes became just as murderously red as hers, and the growl he spoke in when he asked her if she was trying to kill it made all her muscles tighten. She said no, of course, and the switch happened almost instantaneously. Gonta’s face became content, and he continued observing the bugs in the cell. One would think he thought they were in a bug museum. 

            His cheerfulness was enough to put even Maki in a good mood, despite the bland food and horrid living conditions. It also helped take her mind off Shuichi. She knew he was capable in his own right, but she couldn't help but worry. Despite what Kokichi had said, Maki refused to believe they'd execute Shuichi. It wouldn't make sense to execute just him, after all. Still, the worry wouldn't go away.

            All in all, the situation wasn't so bad, if she ignored Kokichi's incessant nonsense. The guards did their best to shut him up, but one whisper from Kokichi got them standing there vexed as Kokichi continued to talk freely. Maki wasn't close enough to hear what he said, but she guessed he had blackmailed them somehow. She wouldn't put it past a criminal to do that. The smirk on Kokichi's face then did nothing to bely her impression either. The gremlin stared at Gonta for a bit, expression unreadable, before looking back to his guard and yelling "Watch it Mister Guard, you're about to step on that poor bug there!"

            Suddenly there was a gaping hole in the bars of Gonta's and Maki's cell, and the guard was lifted up in the air like a sack of potatoes.

            "Don't let go of him until I tell you to, Gonta! We have to make sure all the bugs evacuate, right?"

            "Right!" Gonta agreed enthusiastically.

            Maki could only watch in shock, unable to gather her voice to tell Gonta that Kokichi was clearly tricking him. It was at that moment she realized how much involving Gonta was a terrible idea.

            "Listen up, tin cans!" Kokichi ordered, standing up tall and proud in his cell. Kaito growled something behind him, but Kokichi didn't seem to hear. "If you don't get me some pen and paper immediately, I'll have my subordinate here crush his spine, understood? Oh, and all your spines too while he's at it."

            "But Gonta no want crush spines?!"

            "They deserve it, Gonta! Do you know how many bugs they've killed in here? Well, let me tell you, it's enough to make a whole mountain of dead bugs." 

            Like before with Maki, Gonta radiated anger. That, combined with the easily bent iron bars and soldier being held, was enough to make the guards cower. One of them attempted to speak up to Kokichi.

            "If you really are confident enough to threaten us all, then why do you not try to escape?"

            "Do you think I'm stupid enough to escape with these numbers?" Kokichi replied. "No, of course not, and I'm definitely not stupid enough to keep stealing silver from the castle just to make my wife rich." The guard tensed up at that. "Or give valuable info to some foreign princess just because she's sleeping with me." Another guard followed suit, and Kokichi continued his list of treasonous acts until all of them were on edge. "Now," he said after he finished. "give me the pen and paper I asked for, and your secrets just might stay in tact. Oh, and your spines too."

            One of the guards had left to fetch Kokichi his things, and Gonta came back into the cell with Maki, bending the bars back to normal. He said it was gentlemanly to put things back the way you found them. His naivety caused guilt to fill Maki to the brim. Yes, he hadn't been forced to do anything  _too_ drastic, but that could change at anytime, especially with someone as manipulative as Kokichi there.

            If looks could kill, the death glare Maki gave Kokichi would've killed him ten times over, but sadly, they couldn't, and Maki was left to glare at an all-too-smug Kokichi.

* * *

            Breakfast with the Amamis was, as expected, a very uncomfortable affair. Not physically of course, for the cushioned chairs and delicious food were by far the best Shuichi ever had. It was in the atmosphere where the tension all resided. At first glance, everything was normal, with the Amamis chatting amiably with one another. That was exactly what caused the unease. The Amamis were only talking with one another, completely ignoring Shuichi. If he were to be removed from the room, he doubted anything would change. Shuichi kind of minded, but otherwise figured this worked to his advantage. He wasted a whole day's opportunity to investigate, and he planned to make up for it. With no one to keep him here, he could start early.

            Despite focusing on scarfing down his food quickly, Shuichi couldn't help but listen in on the conversation. Currently the Amamis were talking about their studies. All of them seemed to know each other well, giving personalized tips on how to improve. What most caught Shuichi's attention was how relaxed Rantaro looked. There wasn't an air of wariness around the prince anymore, it being replaced by a more familiar aura. A kind of brotherly aura, Shuichi thought as Rantaro patted his sister's head. To his dismay, the sister looked only around twelve. She was probably the youngest person in the dining room.  _King Amami wouldn't let someone get married so young, right?_ Shuichi found himself wondering. Looking around a bit more, he noted another girl that looked fourteen. Like all the other Amamis in the room, she was dressed in dark blue garb.  _Right?_

            After he was done, a servant picked up his silverware without further prompting. He awkwardly excused himself from the table and skittered out the room. First order of business: investigate potential dancing places. Shuichi doubted the princesses danced at such an obvious place, but he decided to check the ballroom anyway. "Leave no stone unturned," his uncle liked to say. Before he went though, he made sure to ask a passing servant for some pen and paper to make notes. The servant gave them to him without a word, and then continued on her way.

            Following the theme of Amami Castle, the ballroom was decked out in navy and white. Pristine marble tiles covered the expansive room, with large navy banners spaced evenly on the walls. There was a huge glass door leading out to the courtyard. The floor looked recently clean, much to Shuichi's disappointment. The job was done thoroughly. So thoroughly Shuichi couldn't see any heel marks, even when he bent down and squinted. He jotted the observation on his new notepad, then proceeded to scan the rest of the room. Silver sconces were placed in between the banners, unlit. On a whim Shuichi pulled on them, half-expecting a secret room to open up. No such thing happened. After looking around a bit more, he concluded his search of the ballroom and headed through the glass door to the courtyard.

            He blinked at the sudden brightness. The sun was high in the air, illuminating the large trees and colorful flowers. The flowers were, of course, ranging from white to navy. Under the leafy trees there were bushes and benches. They were placed in a circle around a large stone disc embedded the grass. Shuichi inhaled the aromas of jasmines and lavenders, gentle and sweet. There was a slight breeze that passed through, ruffling the leaves and his hair. He would've loved nothing more than to just sit on a bench and relax, but he had a job to do.

            The area was clearly visited a lot, or so the trampled pieces of grass indicated. There were also scuffs of heels on the stone disc, many of them overlapping. If he looked closely, he could see a few strands of green and blonde hair. Some of them were blown away by the wind, along with some leaves. Shuichi crouched, revealing a whole pile of leaves under a bush. The other bushes didn't have nearly as much. As Shuichi came closer, he noticed a piece of dark navy cloth snagged on a branch. He took it off and felt it between his fingers. The material was soft and silky, and Shuichi was sure he and his uncle would never be able to afford it. It was probably recently torn, since it wasn't too dirty, and he doubted the gardener would leave it there, unless they didn't notice it. The wind probably would've blown it off given time too. Examining the bush further, he noticed some of it was caved in. Maybe someone had fallen onto it? He plopped onto a bench and wrote all this down, too engrossed to hear the humming of someone coming his way. Only a surprised "Oh!" made him look up.

            The new arrival was clearly an Amami, what with her green hair, and she seemed older than Shuichi. She was holding a pruning shear in the air, probably too startled to put it down. Shuichi gave an awkward greeting, which she nervously returned, holding the shear back to her side. In her other arm was a potted tree, he noticed belatedly.

            They fell into a silence that made Shuichi squirm. The girl had sat down on the bench opposite him, intent on pruning her tree. That was fine with Shuichi, since he didn't know what to say, but once he finished going over his notes, there really wasn't much else he could do. Leaving seemed kind of abrupt, so he attempted to talk to her, but her cry of pain had him running over instantly.

            "Are you okay?!" he asked.

            "I am f-fine. I just nicked my finger is all. It happens from time to time."

            The puncture wasn't too big, but a big dome of blood started forming on it, ready to drip. It might not have been that serious, but Shuichi ran inside the castle to find a servant to help, telling her he'd be right back. He may have been overreacting, but if he was, then the servant he found was twice that. The servant ran frenetically to secure some bandages and was in the courtyard before Shuichi could move. She wrapped the bandage around the princess' finger until it became a white sausage. 

            "Does it hurt?" Shuichi asked after the servant had left.

            "No, it is fine, really," she said, falling into an expectant silence.

            When Shuichi didn't say anything, she said "You are not going to tell me that I should not have done that?"

            Shuichi scrunched his face. "Tell you not to do what?"

            "... Most of the suitors that came here have told me that as a princess I should not be using pruning shears. Apparently those were for the gardener. And on the off chance I knick my finger as I did now, they take that as validation of their point."

            "Well, I can assure you I'm not like that," Shuichi said firmly. "Besides, if you've been doing this for a long time, the chances of you getting a severe injury are pretty low."

            The girl seemed surprised by Shuichi's response. "Thank you-- er, Shuichi, right?"

            "Y-yeah, and can I ask what your name is?"

            "Yes, of course! I-I do not know why I did not do it sooner. I am Emi Amami, eldest daughter of the Amami family."

            The two of them started talking a bit. Conversation started a bit stilted due to their mutual introvertedness, as they found out quickly. Soon though, they got pretty comfortable. Emi asked him questions about what he thought of Amami Castle, and Shuichi replied with his earnest admiration of everything.

            "I really like the color scheme; it's really easy on the eyes. And navy's also my favorite color. I wish my friends could see it-- sorry, that was probably really rude of me."

            Emi's smile was understanding. "No need to apologize, Shuichi. I truly feel bad for putting you through this, but I hope you understand why we did it. I must admit that Rantaro made it rather over the top though."

            As soon as she said that, a hand shot up to cover her mouth, but it was too late. "Please forget I ever said that! Um-- if you will excuse me--"

            The sudden departure and new info left Shuichi confused, so he wrote everything in his notepad to make sense of it. 

            Giving his notes another cursory glance, he decided it was time that he left too. As he stepped across the stone disc, Shuichi stumbled as one of his feet landed deeper than it should've. Curiosity entered his eyes as he noticed that the stone tile he stepped on had sunk. He tried pressing down with his other foot, but the tile under that one wouldn't budge. Lifting up the foot on the sunk tile, it sprung back into place as if nothing had happened. Shuichi stepped on it again, and sure enough, it sunk again. The tiles adjacent to it however, would not sink, as Shuichi found out as he tested them. With this new discovery, Shuichi diagrammed the disc and shaded the particular tile. He noted that it was on the outer edge of the circle, next to a blue hydrangea bush next to the glass door. 

            The search of the other rooms went disappointingly normal, with nothing too noteworthy. With a sigh, he spun back on his heel and made for his room to review and store his notes. He opened the door and moved one foot past the door frame but didn't put it down, for their was a tiny slip of paper under it. He picked it up and unfolded it. It felt slightly moist and kind of wrinkled. 

             _Whatever you do, don't drink the wine they'll give you at dinner. It's drugged. Maybe the rest of your dinner too. -- Kokichi_

_P.S. Get rid of this as soon as you read it._

            Shuichi blinked rapidly, making sure he read the words correctly.  _This note is from Kokichi, so it has to be a lie, right?_ But in his gut he knew it wasn't. In fact, if it came from Kokichi, it was more likely to be the truth. Shuichi had no doubt in Kokichi's ability to secure this information, even if he didn't know how, and it made sense for him to warn Shuichi. His freedom was on the line.

            When lunch came, Shuichi couldn't stop the panic that came from being served his food. He played with it with his fork, hoping no one would pay him any mind like breakfast. 

            "Is something the matter, Shuichi?" asked Emi from his left.

            His head snapped up, taking in the looks the other Amamis were giving Emi. Rantaro especially seemed troubled, with his green brows scrunched and mouth drooping impossible lengths. Ignoring them, he reassured Emi that everything was fine.

            Other than that one question from Emi, lunch went exactly as he expected, with the exception of not finding anything weird with his meal.  _Maybe it's an undetectable drug?_ Shuichi mused with dread.  _I don't feel strange though. Kokichi said that they'll drug my dinner, so maybe they didn't drug lunch._ The thought still made him nauseous though, so he took a walk around the castle to calm down. 

            He hadn't been lying when he said he really liked the colors of Amami Castle. They served to relax him somewhat and made the place feel less like a death trap. His paranoia wouldn't settle though as he passed servant after servant, wondering which one would drug his dinner.  _Didn't King Amami say that the servants wouldn't interfere? So would that mean King Amami would do it himself?_ Shuichi could certainly see a loophole like that being used, especially if they were trying to sabotage him.

            Caught in his thoughts, he hadn't noticed how far he wandered. Currently he stood in front of a large door, slightly opened. Through the crack he could make out tall bookshelves, not as big as the ones in Akamatsu Castle, but still rather large. Reading a good book usually helped take his mind off things, so he decided to go in and find one. The familiar sent of paper and musty book covers he inhaled with satisfaction. Eager to get those pages between his fingers, Shuichi traversed the dark wood floor, running his fingers along the spines. The bookshelf created a wall of sorts, with another bookshelf across it to create a cozy alcove with a table and chairs. The chairs had soft navy cushions on them. On one of those cushions sat none other than Rantaro Amami, the prince who apparently planned all of this. Maybe even the drugging too. The panic Shuichi thought he rid of came back as a tidal wave, freezing him on the spot. It might have been irrational, but he couldn't help but think that Rantaro would turn around and do something to him. Murder him maybe?

            "No, that's crazy. Calm down, Shuichi," he thought.

            He didn't mean to say it aloud, but he did, and now Rantaro was looking at him. The same forced smile he became expectant of plastered Rantaro's face, along with the stilted tone he used to speak.

            "Hello, Shuichi," Rantaro greeted, ignoring what Shuichi had said.

            That was fine with him. "Ah, hello, uh, Prince Rantaro."

            Rantaro nodded and hummed, then he returned his attention back to his book. As he lifted it up, Shuichi could make out the title on the worn cover. "The Travel Log of Henry Fisher." When Rantaro turned to him a second time, he was pretty sure he accidentally read that aloud again. He should really stop doing that.

            Apparently feeling the need to answer a question Shuichi never asked, Rantaro explained that the book was about the many adventures Fisher had. His green eyes had a new spark to them as he talked passionately about all the places Fisher had been to. There were treks across snowy tundras, dives for hidden treasure underwater, sweaty excursions on blistering sand dunes. One story in particular caught Shuichi's attention though.

            "There's this tower hidden in the mountains bordering Hoshi Kingdom. I've heard rumors that Hoshi Kingdom is actually full of dwarves, but I don't really believe that. Anyways, this tower was built more than a century ago as a secret refuge for the royal family, but it was abandoned for some reason. The book didn't really say. After it was abandoned, it was forgotten pretty quickly, and some thieves started using it as a place to hide their stuff. They stopped though when there was a rumor that a ghost haunted it. Fisher tried to get to the tower, but he said that this big bear with a club guarded the entrance to a cave that led to the tower. I'm not sure if I can really believe that. Fisher also said the bear could talk, which is crazy. He also said that he saw a long haired ghost when he climbed the tower. The tower didn't have doors, by the way, only a window at the top. The ghost apparently told him to leave, which scared Fisher enough to make him climb down."

            "Wait, didn't you say there was a-- a talking bear guarding the tower?"

            "Yeah, but Fisher got around it by giving it some meat as a gift."

            "That was smart of him."

            "Yeah. I really want to be an adventurer like him. It'd probably be a lot of fun." 

            Rantaro sighed, looking wistfully at his book. Shuichi was hit by a sense of deja vu, but he couldn't remember from where. Rantaro's next words were somehow familiar. 

            "I can't really do that though, being next in line and all. Besides, I'm not leaving my sisters behind for something so selfish."

            He sounded so despondent Shuichi had to do something.

            "You said there was a talking bear with a club right?"

            "Yeah, but like I said, I doubt it actually exists."

            "I mean, my friends met a giant talking chicken, so I think it's pretty likely that there are giant talking bears out there too."

            The surprise on Rantaro's face was definitely better than his tense one. "A... talking chicken? Where in the world did your friends find that?"

            The prince's eyes were blown open so wide, Shuichi doubted they'd get any bigger, but he was wrong when he told Rantaro that his friends met it at the top of a beanstalk. That was how he regaled Rantaro of Maki, Kaito, and Ryoma's adventure atop a giant beanstalk. He told him about Kaito's deal with a suspicious woman, the big yet caring boy they found, and the giant which they encountered. Rantaro's face was skeptical, but it was clear he was paying eager attention. 

            "It sounds like your friends went on some adventure."

            "Yeah, though I'm kinda glad I didn't go with them. Maki told me the chicken swore a lot, and that the giant was really loud."

            "Is Maki one of your friends?"

            "Yeah. We've known each other since we were little. Honestly, she's practically a sister at this point."

            "Is that so? It must be nice to have a friend like that."

            "Yeah, even though she was kind of cold when we met, she's really caring, even if she doesn't show it much."

            "Sounds like the total opposite of Rika. She's one of my older sisters, and she's always hugging me when we're together. Not that I'm complaining, I really appreciate it. Sometimes I wish she toned it down a bit though."

            Rantaro moved on to talk about all of his sisters, thanking Shuichi for helping Emi out. There was so much fondness in his voice, it was hard to connect him to the prince that was cold, aloof, and probably trying to sabotage him. Actually, connecting them probably wasn't all that hard. A protective older brother trying to make sure his sisters are happy by any means necessary. 

            Looking up at the clock, Rantaro excused himself from the library for his studies. He gave Shuichi a casual smile and greeting as he left.

            Shuichi did his best to wrestle his mixed feelings for Rantaro. On one hand, he was probably trying to drug him, and had probably drugged many others before him. On the other, Shuichi understood why he'd do that and couldn't find it in himself to hate Rantaro. What he did was wrong of course, but...

            There was also the deja vu which he couldn't quite figure out.  _Wait a minute,_ Shuichi thought, mind almost grasping the memory. It took a moment, but when it came, Shuichi jolted in surprise.  _His voice, and his love of travelling even though he can't. The man disguised at the tavern...Could he possibly be John?!_    

* * *

             It was only when he sat down in the solarium after his studies that he realized why Shuichi was so familiar. He knew he heard the name Maki before. It was at the tavern he visited yesterday, mentioned by Sam. Shuichi didn't look too much like Sam, but he could have easily been disguised. Their voices sounded pretty similar too.   

            "Is everything alright, Rantaro?" asked Emi as she entered the room. The Amami siblings had agreed to meet up here to hang out.

            Rantaro smiled at his older sister, knowing he couldn't hide anything from her. Like he would want to anyway: he trusted her. "I talked with Shuichi a bit in the library."

            Emi's eyes were understanding. She sat down on an armchair across Rantaro, silence gently encouraging him to talk. 

            "He was... a lot better than I gave him credit for. And do you remember Sam? The one from the tavern I talked about?"

            Emi nodded, a slight frown on her face. Rantaro's visits into the kingdom weren't exactly allowed, and she was the only one he told about it. Of course she reprimanded him, but as his sister she knew his love of adventuring more than anyone and reluctantly kept silent about it. 

            "Well, I'm pretty sure that Sam is Shuichi."

            "Really now? Well, I suppose it would make sense, as he was disguised when he came into the castle."

            "Was he? I never knew that. I guess I was too distracted by that boat he came in."

            The siblings laughed at that, the shock of such a strange entrance not entirely gone yet. Rika had been so excited by it too, boldly claiming that she wanted to try it. Both of them had said no of course, along with most of their siblings. 

            As there laughter died down, Emi got them back to the topic at hand. "About Shuichi. I assume he has given you some doubts on the trial?"

            Her brother nodded. "I-- I know that sabotaging the test is wrong, but-- you all--"

            "I understand, Rantaro. But this topic is actually one I have wanted to address for a while. I have not said anything since they seemed content with not getting married to a stranger, but I am afraid I can't keep quiet much longer." She took Rantaro's hand in hers, holding it tenderly. "You do your best for all of us-- and trust me when I say we all appreciate it-- but I think it is time this stopped. You have done enough already, Rantaro. Making sure we do not marry someone whom we do not love, becoming the heir, it has all been enough. Besides, Shuichi has shown that he is not a bad person, and I am sure he would make our sisters happy."

            "Maybe, but what if he's hiding his true intentions? What if it's all a trick?"

            "You do not need to worry so much, Rantaro. If that were the case, I am sure Father would find a way to handle it. I am also sure Father would not mind making me the heir to the throne instead of you." Emi smiled at Rantaro knowingly.

            "That'd be too much to put on you--"

            Emi shushed him. "As the eldest daughter and your oldest sister, I am quite confident I would be able to handle it. Unless you think I cannot?"

            "No, of course I don't, but--"

            "That settles it then!" interrupted Emi with a clap. "Let us talk about this another time. Shina has arrived already."

            One by one all of their beloved sisters went in the room, and once they were all there they engaged in lively conversation. It was enough for Rantaro to forget the previous conversation, but then Emi clapped her hands again, cutting off Rika's rambling on a play about people from another planet.

            "I apologize for interrupting, but I have a very important question to ask all of you." All their sisters stopped their chatter, encouraging Emi to continue. She looked at Rantaro and said "If our dear brother here wanted to be a baker instead of the king, would you all be okay with it?"

            "Wait, Emi--"

            "Of course! Hell--"

            "Language!" chided Shina.

            "Sorry, Shina," said Rika sheepishly. "Anyways, as I was saying, of course I'd be okay with it. You could even be a farmer and I wouldn't care."

            "Well, maybe not a farmer," said Kimi. "But yeah, if big bro wants to be a baker or whatever, I'd let him."

            All his other sisters voiced their support as well, making tears prick the edge of his eyes. He blinked them back though and gave a heartfelt "Thank you."

            Everything continued as before, everyone talking amongst each other eagerly. Rika had brought out three decks of cards, starting a massive tournament of President. It got intense very quickly, with triumphant and angry slaps of cards hitting floor, depending on if someone did well or not. Even though everything was so lively, Rantaro couldn't help but wander back to his doubts. His sisters' support of him touched him deeply, but he couldn't just go explore and leave them here. It was his duty as their brother and heir to the throne, despite Emi's reassurances. 

            "Rantaro, it's your turn now!"

            "R-right, sorry."

            For now, he'd ignore all of this and focus on spending time with his sisters. He had decided to be there for them always, and there was no reason to doubt his decision. He was happy to stay in Amami Kingdom with them, but what was that discontent in his gut? It was probably nothing. There wasn't anything to be discontented about, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After months of deleting and rewriting parts, this finally came out. I'm also here to tell you that I retconned my story, again. I realized things would be really awkward if Rantaro were the oldest sibling, being sixteen and all, so now he's somewhere in the middle. I've already changed everything to match this, but let me know if I missed something. Yes, I know I'm a terrible writer. On another note, thank you for all your comments and kudos thus far. They've been really supportive and are a big factor in my motivation to write and improve. I'm not saying you have to do either, but thank you to those who have.
> 
> P.S. As for clarification to why Rantaro is the heir, I've read that the first son of the royal family is apparently made heir, so even though he has older sisters, he's still next in line. Not that I know anything about royal heredity anyway. And President is an actual card game, but I don't know how to play it.


	9. Chapter 9

            Rantaro knew something was amiss when Shuichi began adamantly declining the wine.  _Does he know?_ the prince wondered. No matter the answer to that, Rantaro would stick to the plan and thwart Shuichi's chances as much as he could. Looking around the table, he caught his sisters looking at Shuichi and the butler offering him wine uncomfortably. Emi's eyes locked with his and a vague sense of guilt pooled in his gut, making him look away.

            It wasn't as if the sabotaging didn't faze Rantaro at all. He knew his actions were wrong, but compared to his love for his sisters, those doubts were nothing. Which is why he had no qualms about distracting Shuichi from investigating further after dinner. The wine was untouched, but it wasn't too much of a hindrance. As it turned it, he had no trouble convincing Shuichi to chat some more together. His suggestion was met with protest, but with enough insistence, the other boy relented. 

            As they walked in the great halls of Amami Castle, Rantaro kept a close eye on Shuichi. He was clearly fidgeting a lot, but otherwise didn't voice his discomfort. Then again, Rantaro didn't bother to say anything either. Just as long as he led Shuichi far away enough from the courtyard. He didn't have any real destination in mind, just that one goal. Due to that he didn't realize he had led them to the solarium. The guilt from before came back at the sight of its door with a sun emblem, his afternoon with his sisters replaying. He was startled out of his daze by Shuichi calling his name, bringing attention to the very boy he was tricking. There was nothing else to distract him, only the person before him and the warm glow of the sconces in the hall. At that point, Rantaro had to acknowledge that Shuichi was no longer some stranger, he was someone that he got to talk with, to learn more about. The guilt came back full force. All of it, spanning back to the first suitor. 

            "We didn't do much talking, did we?" Rantaro said, ignoring his inner turmoil.

            "I guess not..." Shuichi sounded like he wanted to say more. After some deliberation from him, he finally spoke. "Actually, Prince Rantaro. There's something I've been meaning to say for a while, but I've never really gotten a chance to say it yet."

            "What is it?"

            "I'm sure you probably know I'm Sam by this point, right Prince Rantaro, or rather, John?"

            "You figured it out too, I see. So what are you going to do now that you know?" Rantaro asked, much to Shuichi's confusion. "Planning on using it as leverage for the trial? I wouldn't blame you if you did, but I doubt it would actually do any good."  _Here I am doubting him again,_ Rantaro thought.

            "I-I never planned to do that," he said. "It's just that our conversations got me thinking..."

            The prince stayed quiet, giving Shuichi the time to collect his thoughts.

            "You remember me telling you about Akamatsu Kingdom, right Prince Rantaro? Well, I didn't tell you about everything."

            He recounted the events that led him and his friends to Amami Kingdom, and after he was done Rantaro had only one thing to say.

            "This is even crazier than the talking chicken," Rantaro remarked. "Let me get this straight. Right now you're on a wild goose chase for ingredients for an antidote that will wake everyone in Akamatsu Kingdom, who are all supposedly sleeping. To do that, you needed a strand of green hair, so that's why you came here?"

            Shuichi nodded. "But it had to be freshly picked-- at least, that's what the book said, so we needed to find someone to bring along with us. We haven't even found the other ingredients yet."

            Rantaro addressed one concern of his. "If your story is actually true, then you're not here to marry my sisters?"

            "No, of course not! I mean, no offense to them or anything."

            "Don't worry, I understand. I think. So, was your plan to bring one of them along with you?"

            "Not exactly. I didn't even know there'd be a trial like this in the first place. And-- please excuse me for sounding presumptuous-- but I was actually thinking that you could come along. I'm not forcing you or anything though! I just figured since you wanted to travel around too, it could be a win-win situation." When Rantaro didn't respond, Shuichi added "I won't tell anyone about John either. Just, please think it over."

            He bid him an awkward goodnight, leaving Rantaro alone with his thoughts. 

* * *

            Shuichi didn't see Rantaro the next morning. The only times were when they ate, but neither of them started any kind of conversation. Once Rantaro had finished eating, he'd leave immediately. Shuichi didn't go after him. Though sooner or later he planned on confronting him. He really wanted Rantaro to agree, but he doubted he had it in him to force Rantaro. It took all he had to even refuse the wine.

            Lunch had already passed, and Shuichi was currently in his room pacing. Would Rantaro come, or would he not come? What would Shuichi do if he refused? Maki's words from the inn rang in his head.  _"You really need to be more assertive."_

            It was the encouragement he needed to refuse the wine (besides the obvious threat), and now it gave him the drive to talk to Rantaro again. He needed to know his answer. Even if Rantaro said no in the end, Shuichi was sure they could make a compromise. They had to. For the sake of everyone in Akamatsu Kingdom, for his uncle, and most of all, for his friends.

            He found Rantaro in the library, staring absently at "The Travel Log of Henry Fisher." Emi had gotten up from beside her brother and said "Remember that we're all here for you."

            She passed Shuichi on her way out, giving him a meaningful glance he didn't understand.

            Not knowing what to do, Shuichi stood by the door. Rantaro himself was still staring at his book, not glancing up. Playing Maki's words one more time, he took a breath and started talking.

            "Er, have you made up your mind yet, Prince Rantaro?"

            "..."

            Shuichi swallowed, not letting the silence deter him. "I'm sorry for rushing you like this, but I really need an answer. If you're going to say no, then can we at least work out some type of compromise?"

            "Like forcing one of my sisters to go instead?"

            "I'm not trying to force anyone!" Shuichi said. "But... I-- we really need your help, and I'm not leaving empty-handed."

            He stared intently at Rantaro's pondering face, trying to gauge his thoughts. After unbearable seconds, Rantaro spoke.

            "I'll go with you."

            "Really?" Shuichi felt himself smile in relief. "That's great! Thank you, Prince Rantaro."

            "I'm going to have to talk to my father though, and I can't guarantee you he'll let me go. I figured we could talk to him together, actually," Rantaro said. "It'd help if you were there to explain things."

            "Alright. When should we do that?"

            "First you're going to have to complete the trial. I can bring you to the place, and then you can collect the evidence and use that to ask for an audience with my father."

            "Are you sure about that?"

            "... Think about it as a show of trust. I'm believing that you're telling the truth about Akamatsu Kingdom for now. I certainly hope you weren't lying about all that."

            "Of course not," Shuichi said. "Well, if you're sure, then let's go."

            Rantaro led him to the ballroom, still devoid of people and looking untouched. It wasn't their destination however. Brisking through the glass door, the two of them stopped by the stone disc.

            "My sisters told me they were okay if I showed you this," he said. "I trust that you can keep this a secret?"

            "You have my word," Shuichi vowed.

            Rantaro wordlessly stepped on the sinking tile, then on another one that Shuichi never tested. He moved around methodically, body turning and leaping in a one-man dance. 

            "Normally this would be done with twelve people, but since I'm only one, this could take a while. You should probably sit down."

            Taking his advice, Shuichi sat down on a bench, observing Rantaro as he moved. There were times when the prince would hesitate, seemingly trying to recall the next step. He would step down with confidence once he remembered. It continued like that for a while, Shuichi thought, though he wasn't sure if it took ten minutes or an hour. He was busy observing the tiles as they popped up and down like moles, though was startled out of his trance when one tile didn't come back up. Rantaro stepped on more of them, all of them sinking low to the ground. Stone grated on stone when he stopped, and in the middle opened a small hole. The stone tiles slid open one by one, like an unwinding coil, revealing a dim spiral staircase. Rantaro had gotten off the disc and stood beside him, visage telling of how common an occurrence that was.

            "Does this mean you dance with your sisters too, Prince Rantaro?"

            He chuckled. "From time to time. Mostly I just watch them, though I make sure that I go down when there isn't a suitor. This would be the only exception."

            Shuichi nodded, knowing the importance of Rantaro's trust in him. 

            The stairway was lit with old-fashioned torches, petals of fire flickering on their wooden stems. After descending a bit, the stone disc closed itself back up, leaving them with only the orange glow. It revealed steps wide enough for two people to walk beside each other, and there was a stone handrail snaking along it as well. Still, Shuichi wasn't taking any chances with the pitch black hole in the middle and stuck close to the wall. Rantaro had no problems walking along the handrail, apparently.

            Their descent was filled with only the sounds of their feet pattering on the stone, the torches' crackling making for constant background noise. The quiet was much less tense than their previous ones, but there was still that underlying caution clouding the air. Shuichi wanted to say something, but figured that it wouldn't do much. If he wanted Rantaro to trust him, he'd have to do it through action, not words. Though he hoped they'd get there soon; his legs were starting to throb, and he'd love to see something other than stone and firelight. Everywhere looked identical. Soon Shuichi was zoning out, steps perfunctory as they coasted down the stairs. He snapped to attention when there was a glow at the bottom of the staircase. There was an arch outlined by rocks down below, leading to someplace Shuichi couldn't see from his height.

            "We're almost there," Rantaro announced.

            They went through the arch, revealing a cave more magical than Himiko's. At its scale, calling it a cavern would be more accurate, though it was much too large for even that. Behind him curved a giant stone wall covered in vines, easily twenty times as tall as him and Rantaro. They were standing in luscious green grass, sheen almost reminiscent of an emerald. Imprints of numerous feet trampling it remained. Silver, gold, and sapphire trees were spread out all over, and, Shuichi realized, actually made of the precious ores their colors were. Above them hung what he assumed to be more ores, except the stalactites were glowing. They illuminated the expanse of the cavern, which he guessed was at least half the size of the forest he lived in, if not more so. In the middle of all of it stood a large gazebo. A lagoon as blue as the sapphire leaves encircled it, boats bobbing in the waves. On them resided bronze men, sitting with paddles in their laps. 

            "Amazing, isn't it?" Rantaro said.

            "It really is," Shuichi agreed wholeheartedly. "Your sisters must love dancing here. Though I have to wonder how something like this could even exist."

            Rantaro shrugged.

            "I don't know either. I've tried looking in the library, but I could only find the instructions to open the disc in the courtyard. Incidentally, it recommended doing it with twelve people, and I just happen to have twelve sisters," he said. "Moving on, I think if you collect some leaves and some stuff at the gazebo, you should be all set."

            The leaves came off with a hard snap, like when Shuichi would step on a branch in the forest. In the soundless cavern it was more like thunder. There wasn't even a breeze inside, thanks to them being underground. He had to admit to jumping when that happened, and he saw Rantaro flinch as well. They were more calm the few other times, but the loudness never failed to catch them off guard, even if they were expecting it. The two went to the edge of the lake once they finished. Getting on the boat, Shuichi was startled by how much it rocked. Luckily the middle was much more stable. Their bronze oarsman started rowing them to the gazebo. Waves rippled across the waves, providing relaxing background noise this time. The bronze man moved eerily smooth, almost like a real human would, though it was clear he was nothing of the sort. Shuichi found himself entranced by its motions. Backwards, forwards, backwards, forwards its arms went, rippling the water below, but despite its clarity, he didn't see a single fish swim by. Being on a boat was alien to him, and he promised to do more after they woke everyone up from the Mass Sleep. The boat slowed to a stop, and his legs still weren't used to all the rocking. Rantaro got off first and offered him a hand. He took it sheepishly and gave his thanks.

            Shuichi didn't notice the banquet tables from afar, but now he saw the glass chalices and plates of fruit on them. He grabbed a chalice at Rantaro's suggestion. Looking back up, there was a stage in front of them, chairs and music stands arranged on it. Combined with the scuffs of heels on the floor, he concluded that this was where the Amami sisters danced. He wondered what would happen if a suitor did find their way here. The possibilities were endless, some of them good, some of them bad. Rantaro must've contemplated them over and over, deciding what to do to protect his sisters and their happiness.

            Waiting for them still was the bronze man, and both of them got on the boat. Like before, Rantaro helped Shuichi off the boat and together they walked to the staircase. The leaves jostled inside the chalice as Shuichi went up, sounding more like rocks than leaves. The sound echoed off the sheer stone.

            The top was still sealed off, but opened with some rhythmic knocking from Rantaro, sunlight flooding in like a tidal wave. It took a moment to orient themselves to the brightness as they got out.

            There wasn't any need to talk on the way; their purposeful steps spoke for themselves. Nonetheless, the nervousness would not leave Shuichi as they hailed a passing servant and requested an audience with King Amami. It only multiplied the closer they got to the throne room. The sight of it empty didn't help matters even a little. Four guards stood beside the throne, and one informed them that a messenger was on his way to retrieve King Amami and his twelve daughters. The wait was killing Shuichi, and he saw Rantaro tapping his finger restlessly on his leg. 

            Finally King Amami burst in, his regal aura dominating the room. Behind him filed the twelve Amami sisters, whom the messenger announced after he finished with King Amami's introduction. They all looked at Rantaro, some of them giving reassuring smiles. Shuichi was a bit surprised to see some staring at him too, though he supposed it was to be expected. 

            Once the king situated on the throne, he asked for Shuichi's evidence. He held out the chalice awkwardly, and a guard took it from him, examining it first. Deeming it acceptable, he gave it to the king. Another examination took place, and King Amami finished it with a nod. He congratulated Shuichi on passing the trial and asked which of his daughters he'd like to be betrothed to.

            He gulped. "Actually, your highness, I didn't come here to get married."

            "You haven't?" the king said, brows furrowed in confusion.

            "No, I haven't," Shuichi said. "Actually, I come from Akamatsu Kingdom, and everyone there's--"

            "Suffering from an epidemic," finished Rantaro. "And he needed our help to create an antidote, so he came here to ask us for assistance. We seem to have misunderstood his intentions."

            Shuichi had to admit that Rantaro's cover story was a lot more believable than the truth. He opted to let him talk instead.

            "An epidemic in Akamatsu Kingdom?" the king said. "Did anything seem strange during your last visit, Rantaro?"

            "Not that I've known of," said Rantaro, ignoring Shuichi's surprise at the fact that the prince had actually been to his kingdom. "It seems that this epidemic was quite recent."

            "I see," said the king, stroking his chin again. "Then why did you come into my kingdom, Shuichi?"

            "Um, you see your highness, we were looking for ingredients to our po-- antidote, and for it to work, we need a strand of his hair to be immediately pulled out. At least, that's what the ingredients list said."

            King Amami narrowed his eyes. "Can you present this ingredients list to me now?"

            "I can't, b-but I promise I'm telling the truth. You can even ask my friends."

            "You are referring to your companions that came with you, correct?"

            He nodded, shifting under King Amami's scrutinous gaze. The king's eyes were on him for an eternity before he straightened up on his throne.

            "Not only do you not have proof backing up your story, you are asking me to send my son and heir away. I have no reason to aid you now, despite my kingdom's ties to Akamatsu's."

            "If I may interrupt," Rantaro said. "I believe that helping Shuichi would benefit both our kingdoms. Akamatsu Kingdom is one of our closest allies and trading partners, and leaving it to suffer from this epidemic would be wrong. And to confirm if Shuichi's story is true, we can bring his friends here to testify."

            "If they are his allies, the chance that they'll lie with him are very likely."

            "Then we can threaten to keep them locked up if they don't tell the truth."

            "I don't think that's necessary!" said Shuichi. While he knew his friends would tell the truth (even Kokichi), he didn't want to put his friends through that. "I-- Tsumugi actually came here with us. She's the royal seamstress of Akamatsu Kingdom. You can ask her to verify my story."

            "Tsumugi came with you?" Rantaro asked. "Tsumugi Shirogane?"

            "Yeah."

            "Louis, Arnold," King Amami said. "Please bring Tsumugi Shirogane to this room."

            Two of the guards trudged out the room, returning a while later with a distraught Tsumugi. Her hair was disheveled and her clothes were wrinkled, but otherwise she didn't seem worse for wear, if a bit paler. Only a second passed before she saw Shuichi. Upon noticing Rantaro in the room too, her eyes narrowed in what Shuichi thought to be displeasure, but definitely not as intense at hatred. Before she could say anything, the king started addressing her.

            "You are Tsumugi Shirogane?"

            "Huh? Oh, yes your highness, I am Shirogane Tsumugi, the royal seamstress of Akamatsu Kingdom," she affirmed, her speech a lot stiffer than usual.

            "Is it true that Akamatsu Kingdom is suffering from an epidemic?"

            At this she became confused, looking to Shuichi for answers. He nodded as subtly as he could, but King Amami noticed the exchange anyway.

            "Yes, Akamatsu Kingdom is suffering from an epidemic." Tsumugi tried her hardest to not make that sound like a question.

            "I see. And what business did you and your comrades have coming into my kingdom?"

            She looked to him and he nodded again, hoping she understood.

            "We came here looking for an ingredient to our antidote, which was a strand of green hair. The book said it had to be freshly plucked."

            "And would you happen to have this book on your person?"

            "... Plainly, no, your highness."

            The questioning continued with Tsumugi getting overwhelmed. She couldn't retort back, because like the king said, she had no proof. Shuichi wished he could help, but he doubted he'd make the situation better, let alone have the courage to speak up in the first place. But-- no, he had to speak up, no matter his nerves. Wracking his brain for ideas, it decided to cooperate with him and gave what he needed. A lull appeared in the conversation, and Shuichi seized his chance.

            "While we may not have any proof," he began. "if we were lying to you, that wouldn't reflect well on Akamatsu Kingdom, wouldn't it?"

            Rantaro's eyes widened, having caught onto his train of thought. "If that were the case, that would cause a rift between our kingdoms, right Father? In that case, wouldn't it be better if I went to verify their claims?"

            "I agree with Rantaro," Emi said from the side. All the sisters followed suit, voicing their approval. 

            King Amami surveyed them all, silent in pondering. Setting his gaze on Rantaro, he sighed. "I suppose you bring up a good point... very well, I grant you permission to leave."

            "Thank you, Father," Rantaro said earnestly.

            "You must promise me you will return back safely." The king's eyes filled with nothing but love for his son.

            "Of course," he said, returning his father's fond gaze in equal intensity.

            Suddenly, one of the older Amami sisters ran forward and hugged Rantaro.

            "I'm gonna miss you, little brother!" she said, squeezing him tighter.

            "Me too, Rika, but could you stop squeezing so hard?"

            One by one all of his sisters voiced their well wishes for him, joining Rika's hug until they became a mass of green heads. Poor Rantaro had his lungs crushed, but he was still smiling fondly at all of them.

* * *

            Shuichi and Tsumugi were standing outside the palace gates. Rantaro was still inside, talking with his family before he left. Everyone else would be there shortly, guards already sent to get them. The two chatted in the meantime, Shuichi asking her about how Rantaro sounded like he knew her. Tsumugi's replies were short, tinted with that displeasure from earlier. It was clear she didn't like him much. Despite that, she never actually insulted him.

            "He always comes into the castle disguised and only takes it off when he's inside. Isn't that just plain paranoid of him?"

            He couldn't really say anything to that. The prince and him had gotten off a rocky start, and Shuichi wouldn't call them friends, but he'd feel guilty if he talked bad about him behind his back. Saving him from having to say anything was Kaito, who tackled him into a hug upon sight and hit his back repeatedly. Like Tsumugi, his clothes were also wrinkled, and his hair seemed to droop a bit. Nonetheless, Shuichi was glad to have his friend by his side. He was surprisingly relieved to see Kokichi too, even though said boy also tackled him, this time sending all of them to the ground. 

            "Finally, another human being! It's been so long since I've seen one. So, did you like my clue, Shuichi? I made it just for you, so you should be grateful I went through all that trouble."

            "Y-yeah, it was really helpful. But could you get off of us first?"

            "Aw, but I like it up here."

            Kaito unceremoniously stood up, plopping Kokichi onto his back. The small boy sprung up and pouted at him, inciting a squabble between them. While that did bring some exasperation to Shuichi, he was mostly happy to see them again. Though one thing that Kaito said confused him.

            "Like, I know you helped us out and stuff, but did you really hafta trick Gonta like that?"

            "While I am definitely intimidating enough to scare them on my own, using Gonta was much more entertaining!"

            "Say that one more time and I'll snap your neck in half," Maki threatened, glaring at him. Her gaze softened when she walked to Shuichi.

            "Good to see you're doing well," she said, patting his shoulder.

            "Ah, you too Maki, but what were they talking about?"

            Her face soured at the subject. "The little gremlin used Gonta to threaten the guards to give you a message. I suppose it was useful, but if he ever does a stunt like that again, don't try to stop me."

            Shuichi didn't expect Maki to be that attached to Gonta, but then again, he wasn't there at the beanstalk with them. He resolved to get to know the giant man more.

            Everyone else arrived, Miu's entrance boisterous, Gonta's friendly, and Ryoma's subdued. Kokichi greeted his subordinates suit, playfully insulting Miu and teasing Ryoma for being a 'tsundere.' He then started talking to Gonta, which made Maki tense.

            "You'd make a great addition to my merry band! What do you say, Gonta, want to join me and take over the world?"

            As Gonta puzzled out a response, the last addition to their group came out, earning a surprised exclamation from Kaito.

            "Holy shit dude, your hair's so green!"

            "Don't you know it's rude to point out an alien's hair color?" Kokichi said. "You're going to offend it and start an intergalactic war."

            "The Luminary of the Stars is friends with all creatures of space!"

            "Guys, knock it off," Shuichi sighed. "Everyone, this is Prince Rantaro, and he's going to be coming with us."

            "Please just call me Rantaro," he said. "It's nice to meet you all. And by the way, I'm not an alien," he remarked, smirking at Kaito and Kokichi.

            Rantaro fit easily into the group, engaging in friendly banter with Kokichi at the moment. Somehow he was able to handle Kokichi's eccentric personality. When Kaito wanted to talk to him, he integrated him into their conversation seamlessly, showing social prowess Shuichi would've liked to have. Still, it wasn't like all the group was okay with him. Tsumugi still gave Rantaro weird looks, and it seemed that Maki and Ryoma noticed too. Falling back with the two, Shuichi opted to talk to them about that. Neither of them had any new info, Ryoma only knowing what Shuichi deduced. What was strange was that Tsumugi's displeasure was probably one-sided. Rantaro most certainly noticed her glances towards him, and yet he smiled at her and invited her into their conversation. She huffed and looked away.

            "So Shuichi," Kokichi said, waltzing toward him, "Any idea where we should go now? Or did you just spend those three days lazing on your butt while we all rotted away in the dungeons?"

            "Sorry about that."

            "Hm, I guess I'll accept your half-assed apology, even though it wasn't your fault at all."

            "Sorr--" Upon a blank look from the other boy, Shuichi stopped. "I actually do have a place in mind. It's called Hoshi Kingdom, and there's a tower behind some mountains there. Prince-- er, Rantaro, said that it was built more than a century ago, and that some thieves liked to use it as a hideaway for their stuff. I was thinking that we might find some leather there."

            Kokichi's blank look had yet to vanish. In fact, after Shuichi finished speaking it went from deadpan to wary, though it was hard to tell; he was a masterful liar after all, able to cry on command.

            A smirk followed his exaggerated sigh, spelling trouble. "Terribly sorry, Shuichi, but me and my merry band are going nowhere near Hoshi Kingdom. In fact, I was just thinking that I'd take them back with me to start a new, honest life in Amami Kingdom!"

            "The fuck did you say?!" Miu exclaimed.

            "Buuut that's a lie, of course! What kind of leader would I be if I let my men degrade into boring honest people? Well, Miu, Ryoma, shall we?" 

            He skipped away from the group, looking at the two expectantly. Miu continued gaping at him while Ryoma frowned a bit. 

            "Come on now, do you really want to keep hanging around with these losers? They were so incompetent they landed us in the dungeons, and now they're trying to take us to a kingdom full of savage dwarves! We're  _way_ better off on our own."

            When the two still wouldn't follow him, Kokichi grabbed their wrists and dragged them off, though Ryoma stayed firmly rooted. Miu looked at both Kokichi and Ryoma. She sighed.

            "Well, Ryoma, are we goin' with the shota or what?" asked Miu, seeming to genuinely want his response.

            The man didn't reply, so Kokichi decided to give him another push. "Come on, chibi, you're not seriously wanting to stay, are you? You were trapped inside a cell with that bitch, you don't have to torture yourself more." He smiled knowingly at Tsumugi.

            "H-huh?" Tsumugi didn't know what to make of that.

            "Aw, you don't know what I'm talking about? That you're the reason we're going on this stupid goose chase right now? That you're the one who poisoned Princess Kaede just because you were jealous of Avocado Hair here?"

            "How did you know?!"

            His eyes widened in either real or fake shock. "That was just a random guess; I can't believe I was right on the money. That was a lie, of course. I knew that  _all_ along that you were a big bad wolf in sheep's clothing! Proud that you were able to hide it for this long?" 

            Pandemonium erupted, Kaito and Gonta yelling how that couldn't be possible, and Rantaro and Maki standing there stupefied. Shuichi pleaded for Tsumugi to say something. He had his suspicions before, but he desperately wanted to believe in Tsumugi; he still did.

            Tsumugi just looked down silently, clutching her sleeve tightly. 

            "I'm sorry, everyone, but Kokichi's right... it's all my fault."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the wise words of Himiko: "It's magic."  
> I'm sure we can all agree that I've butchered the world building of this AU already. Nonetheless, it's still very fun to write and I'm having a blast. If you came here looking for a well thought-out fantasy world, I'm sorry to disappoint. For those of you who stuck around, thank you!
> 
> P.S. I've change some of Tsumugi's dialogue with Ryoma in Chapter 6. It's nothing too major, so you don't have to go back and reread it. I just thought you should know.


	10. Chapter 10

            Despite Tsumugi’s opinions currently, she liked Rantaro at first. She and Princess Kaede found his anecdotes on his sisters amusing, and he was a great listener. His praise of Tsumugi's clothing certainly helped him out. All her positive feelings towards him went out the window when he started replacing her.

            Replacing was most definitely an exaggeration, but the way Princess Kaede laughed more with Prince Rantaro did not go unnoticed. If it were just that, she would have been fine-- but it wasn't. The prince, as it turned out, had a weirdly large expertise on nail-painting, something which Tsumugi herself was experienced in. Every weekend she'd paint the princess' nails, and her cheeks would go red at the compliments Princess Kaede would give her. This time though, when Rantaro was on the stool painting her nails instead of Tsumugi, her cheeks went red for a much different reason. That was supposed to be Tsumugi's job, one of the few things she excelled at. For Rantaro to swoop in and do it just as well, if not better, all suave and gentlemanly...

            The snake of envy nestled itself around her mind, biting its poison into her when she so much as looked at Rantaro now. The gossip over how he and Princess Kaede would make a good couple did nothing to mollify her. Then came the month before Princess Kaede's piano concert. The princess was too busy practicing to hang out as often; Tsumugi herself had been commissioned more, even sewing Princess Kaede's dress for her. As she sewed the music notes onto the magenta velvet, she thought about how pathetic she was for not being able make one for herself. Her experienced fingers would freeze up, her brain whispering about how it wouldn't fit a plain girl like her. She was just supposed to stand amongst the crowd, as nondescript as everyone else. Meanwhile Princess Kaede would take center stage, basking in everyone's attention while Tsumugi was stuck looking up at her. The people would crowd around her, preventing her from ever reaching her friend. The princess would be way too kind to ignore them.

            Two days before the concert, she went out to shop for fabric and clear her head. The princess was rehearsing more than ever, determined to give her most perfect performance. Her people deserved nothing less, she had said. Wandering around the town helped take her mind off the loneliness for now. She had needed to restock on fabric anyway. 

            The sun bore into her neck, making her put her hood up. Doing so made her unaware of the woman in front of her until they bumped into each other.

            "I'm so sorry," Tsumugi apologized to the woman with bright red lipstick. Like Tsumugi, she was wearing a black cloak.

            "I should be the one apologizing; the fault is mine after all," the woman said in a smooth voice. It should've been soothing, but it made Tsumugi shiver, her skin feeling cold all of a sudden. "Say, would you happen to know where one would be able to buy a cow?"

            "... Excuse me?"

            "Someplace like a farm or a ranch. The cow would need to be alive, and my brother would prefer if it were big."

            "I'm sorry, but I don't know where you could find one," Tsumugi replied. "Though can I ask why you need one?"

            "My brother needs cow's blood to complete his ritual you see, but due to certain circumstances, he's unable to retrieve it on his own, so I've come in his stead."

            "What's this ritual for?"

            "It is to help my brother sleep better. He's been suffering from nightmares for quite a while."

            "And can this ritual help him with that? Plainly, that sounds really far-fetched."

            "Well, this ritual has quite the reputation, so I'm sure it will work."

            "I see," she said.  _Now if there were a ritual to get your best friend to hang out with you again, that'd be plain great._

            "Are you perhaps having a falling out with this friend of yours?" the woman said.

            Tsumugi startled, not having meant to say that aloud.

            The woman looked at Tsumugi with a pensive visage, like she was debating whether or not to tell her something. She decided to talk after all. Incredulity stunned Tsumugi into silence as the woman said she came here not only for cow's blood, but she also was retrieving a sleeping potion for her brother. She had lied about the ritual; it was apparently supposed to summon a ghost. Before she left, the woman recommended that she went with her to get her potion. Perhaps the witch would help Tsumugi with her falling out.

            Going off with a suspicious woman to get a "magical" potion was surely a bad idea, but Tsumugi's jealousy convinced her to give the woman a chance.

            A purple-haired boy with a cow was talking to her near the edge of the town. It seemed the woman had found a cow after all. Tsumugi looked at the poor thing in pity as its tether was tight in the woman's grasp. Once the boy had left, she joined her by the gate, and they walked out together into the woods. No words were exchanged.

            Tsumugi had gathered some silk from the forest's spiders before, but never was she forced to venture this deep into the woods. She kept close to the woman, not wanting to get lost in all the greenery. Her fingers itched to pluck the colorful flowers on the bushes, but she knew she couldn't dilly-dally. Perhaps she'd come back for them another time.

            They stopped in front of a pile of leaves, the woman kicking them aside and jumping into the newly revealed hole. The dirt probably wouldn't be noticeable in her black cloak, and Tsumugi had other cloaks laying around. Despite that, it pained her somewhat to dirty her own creation like that, but the magical site of the witch's cave was more than enough to make up for it. 

            "Nyeh?" said a red-haired girl, squinting at Tsumugi. She had atop her head a witch's hat. "Who're you?"

            Tsumugi was about to reply, but then thought better of it and pulled out a notepad she brought for shopping; word couldn't get out that she visited a witch.

            After debating what to write, she settled on:  _I'm here for an attention potion._

            The girl took the note and read it, another girl with a green bow appearing behind her. Reading the note as well, she turned to Tsumugi and said "Why didn't you just say that?"

            For reasons unknown, the woman decided to help her. "My acquaintance here is rather shy and would prefer to remain anonymous."

            The other girl scoffed. "Only a degenerate male would do something like that."

            The woman and the two girls conversed for a bit, probably about the sleeping potion for her brother. With a gesture from the girl with the witch hat, a red and white bear leaped onto a table with two pale green vials and poured a concoction in one of them. She explained that they wanted to try putting an Enhancer potion into a Spotlight potion. Coincidentally, Tsumugi just happened to arrive at the right time. The bear took the vial without the concoction and handed it to the witch, who gave it to the woman.

            She bowed and gave her thanks before leaving the two.

            "Good riddance," one muttered under her breath. "I never ever want to see another talking degenerate chicken in my life."

            "That was too much of a pain," the other agreed, nodding tiredly. 

            Before she exited, the woman passed Tsumugi and whispered, "I trust you won't tell anyone about this." She nodded in reply, despite it not being an inquiry.

            "So, you want the spotlight potion?"

            Thinking a bit, Tsumugi asked them what the Enhancer potion would do to it, taking care not to scrawl in her usual messy handwriting. Absently she noted this was something Rantaro would probably do, but she shoved that thought into oblivion. 

            The red-haired girl drawled about how it basically improves the effects of the potion, like duration and range. Though for this specific Spotlight potion, the effects would only work if Tsumugi was in a person's range of vision.

            Her original intent was to get Princess Kaede to hang out with her more. The allure of being the center of attention was strong though, leading her to accept the potion. The bear got the vial off the table and gave it to the girl. Before she gave it to Tsumugi, she explained that it had to enter the blood stream to be effective. Staring at the magical liquid, she grasped it tighter and left. Not only would the potion give her what she wanted, it also wouldn't distract Princess Kaede from her performance. All Tsumugi had to do was stay out of sight while Princess Kaede was playing.

            Being the plain girl she is, Tsumugi only worked up enough courage after more than a day of deliberation. In her defense, she also had to concoct a plan to get the potion into Princess Kaede's bloodstream without hurting her badly. Granted, the plan was tenable at best and absolutely doomed at worst, but at least it was a plan. Just get Princess Kaede to Tsumugi's spinning wheel, convince her to try spinning and hope to dear god she pricked her finger... It seemed a lot better in her head.

            Tsumugi's opportunity came when she was sitting with a stressed out princess worried about her recital in seven hours. They were hanging in Tsumugi's room, chatting about the upcoming recital. Her heart clenched when she heard about Princess Kaede's doubts about the performance, aware she wouldn't be saying them to just anybody, which by all accounts, Tsumugi should've been.

            "You've practiced a ton, I'm sure you'll do great, Princess Kaede."

            "I know, Tsumugi, but I'm still so nervous! What if I forget a measure halfway through and can't recover? Everyone's expecting me to give a good performance!"

            "It's plain to see that you're way too nervous to perform right now, much less at your best," Tsumugi said, swallowing her guilt down. "Why don't you try to relax first?"

            "I should, but I don't know how. I'd normally play a piece to calm me down, but then that'd make me practice more and stress out again!"

            "Well, for me, I find it plain calming to sew. Why don't you try it for a bit? I can show you how." 

            Tsumugi hid her shaking hands in her blue cloak. She was astonished that her cloak wasn't vibrating more when Princess Kaede agreed and walked over with her to the spinning wheel. The princess sat down on the stool, Tsumugi guiding her hands. Much willpower was needed to stop her shaking hands, but luckily the only sign of nervousness left was the sweat coating them. When the princess commented on it, Tsumugi claimed the room to be rather stuffy. 

            Princess Kaede, as Tsumugi expected, was a fast learner, and she was surprised to see how focused her friend was on sewing. 

            "This is actually really relaxing," she commented after a while. "Do you think we could do this after the concert too?"

            Tsumugi blinked. "Why would you want to do that? There're a lot of better activities out there than plain old sewing."

            "Maybe, but this is really fun!" Princess Kaede said earnestly. "And I can understand you a little better with this too."

            "H-huh?"

            "I feel really bad that we haven't spent as much time together, and I figured that nothing would be better than doing something my best friend loves. Unless you want to do something else, of course! Anything you want to do, Tsumugi."

            Warmth rushed through her at her friends words, and she was about to stop her plan when the universe decided that the princess had to prick her finger that very moment. Tsumugi froze, almost not reacting in time when Princess Kaede passed out. _Is the potion supposed to do this?_  Her attention snapped to a thud outside the room. Thrusting the door open, she saw several people collapsed on the floor. More thuds followed rapidly, matching the racing thoughts in her head. _What’s happening?! They aren’t supposed to pass out, are they? It’s almost like they’re... sleeping._

Both the vials had the same color, and Tsumugi was sure it’d be easy to mix them up, but the possibility seemed inconceivable. She almost wished it were the Spotlight potion instead, though she knew that wouldn’t ease her guilt. Not in the slightest.

            She reentered the room, looking at Princess Kaede’s dormant body laid carefully on her bed. Her gaze drifted to the spinning wheel, the sharp spindle accusatory. Something possessed her to pocket it inside her cloak, evidence of her crime now out of sight. The spinning wheel still remained though. Taking it apart, she stepped over the bodies in the hall and dumped the parts she held into the dungeons. Even the prisoners were asleep. Tsumugi did her best not to panic in the dank place. Her chest rattled with her shaky breaths, echoing loudly off the walls. Panicking would do no good; she had to think. Mind cleared somewhat, she decided to go find the witch again. The journey with the woman was still fresh in her mind, making her confident that she could find her way back.

            Her hood was pulled tightly up as she traversed the town, not willing to see the full extent of her deed. The people near the front of the gate were enough. Despite her clothes' fabric being of high quality, the sweat amounted from running made it scratch against her skin like sandpaper. Her chest burned, and her legs throbbed. Nonetheless, she did not slacken her sprint.

            Anyone living in Akamatsu Kingdom would have heard of the famous detective Saihara, and Tsumugi was no exception. His eyes were rumoured to pierce through anyone's soul, revealing secrets even they themselves never knew. That was probably all hyperbole, but face to face with the man himself, guilty of a very serious crime, made Tsumugi panic anew. Detective Saihara assumed she was here about a case and asked her what was the matter. She tried to play it cool and somehow moved the conversation indoors. As expected, the detective asked her what she was doing running in the woods, and the closer he got to the truth, Tsumugi became more panic-stricken. In her clouded mind, she whipped out the spindle and pricked Detective Saihara on the finger, when he wasn't paying attention. He fell to the floor with a loud thump as Tsumugi turned tail and burst out the Saihara Cabin door.

* * *

            "Here we have it," Kokichi said smugly. "Let's go, my merry men."

            Everyone was reeling from Tsumugi's confession, so Kokichi's words barely registered. Only when Ryoma stood his ground with a firm "No," that they tuned back in to reality.

            "Hm?" Kokichi said, cupping a hand to his ear. "Did you say something, chibi? It's kinda hard to hear you from down there."

            "You can hear me just fine, Kokichi," Ryoma said. "I'm staying."

            "I always knew you'd go crazy one day, but I never thought it'd be this soon. My dear Miu, please tell Ryoma that he's insane."

            "What the fuck are you thinking, Ryoma?" Miu said, but without any of the accusation one would expect from such a statement.

            "We're gonna need all the help we can get to wake up Akamatsu Kingdom, and no matter what you think, I can handle this."

            The leader narrowed his eyes. "Akamatsu Kingdom's a lost cause. And there are always these losers--" he jerked a thumb at everyone else, "--that'll take care of that. I say it's time we move on. Also, I can't stand looking at Plain Jane over there."

            Tsumugi looked down.

            "Even if  _you_ won't, I'm still willing to give her a chance," declared Ryoma.

            "And why would you ever give a bitch like her a chance?" Kokichi said.

            "Because she's trying to fix her mistake, even if she's got a long way's to go," Ryoma answered. "'It doesn't matter what's in the past, only what you're going to do now.' Isn't that what you said to me?"

            "Obviously this doesn't apply to jealous bitches who set their own kingdoms to sleep."

            Kaito leaped into their altercation, yelling in defense of Tsumugi. To his shock, Maki sided with Kokichi, despite her contempt for him. More and more people joined into the argument, a hurricane of insults and protests. Even with all his social prowess, Rantaro failed to even lessen the tension, only adding more fuel to the fire. Tsumugi stayed silent during the whole thing, and Shuichi was desperately trying to find a way to calm everyone down. His mind couldn't come up with anything, forcing his mouth to act instead.

            "Guys..." he said pitifully. Part of him really hoped he didn't have to resort to yelling like last time, but he wouldn't be heard otherwise. With a big huff, he said "Everyone, calm down!"

            Luckily they managed to hear him the first time, stopping to stare at him. Ryoma sent him a grateful look. 

            "I know that this was a lot to take in," Shuichi continued. He was still trying to process what Tsumugi did to his uncle. "But yelling over each other isn't helping anything. Why don't we-- why don't we hear each other out first?"

            "... You're right bro. Sorry 'bout that," said Kaito.

            "That ungentlemanly of Gonta," the giant agreed.

            The others agreed to his proposition, even Kokichi to his surprise and relief, though his agreement was very tenuous. Shuichi suggested they hear Tsumugi out first. She tensed at that, but didn't say anything until an unbearable silence set in.

            "There's... not really much to say. I was trying to get Princess Kaede's attention on plain old me and failed horribly. And because I failed, I kn-- know that it's my responsibility to fix this, not yours. I'm really sorry for dragging you all into this. I didn't even help all that much," Tsumugi said with a humorless giggle.

            "Damn right you didn't," sneered Kokichi.

            "Kokichi," Shuichi chided. The last thing they needed were the arguments to start again.

            The leader turned to Shuichi with a cold, nonchalant smile, hands behind his head. "What? It's true, isn't it? If Plain Jane's done yapping now, that means it's my turn, right?"

            Shuichi sighed and nodded, keeping rapt attention to whatever the mischievous boy would say.

            "Great! First things first, why should we even trust her in the first place? She already confessed her guilt, she's probably sabotaged us this whole time. And need I remind you all that this silly little journey's already landed us in the dungeons?

            "Not to mention that I'm  _bored_ now. Who knew that gathering magical ingredients could be so dull? Not to mention that out of all the places we could go, we're going to a pathetic dwarf kingdom! What more reason do I need to nope on out of here?"

            "Why did you say that Hoshi Kingdom has dwarves?" Shuichi inquired, remembering Kokichi's earlier statement as well. He had certainly never told Kokichi the rumors. And the way he said it so confidently was certainly fishy.

             "What in the world are you talk--"

            "I'm from Hoshi Kingdom," Ryoma interrupted his leader.

             "What?" Shuichi said, blinking dumbly.

             He explained, Kokichi's face unnervingly blank. "To put it bluntly, I'm a dwarf that comes from Hoshi Kingdom. My full name is Ryoma Hoshi. I ran away and wandered the woods a bit until I joined Kokichi and Miu."

            The urge to ask why he left Hoshi Kingdom was held back, Shuichi trusting that Ryoma would tell them if he wanted to. Besides, the topic was probably a sensitive one. Kokichi's insistence on leaving with his men made a bit more sense with that in mind. Rantaro seemed to have reached the same conclusion, and Maki too, but she didn't seem to like it.

            Next to talk was Kaito, who made his opinion very clear.

            "Tsumugi hasn't done anything wrong! It wasn't her fault we were in the dungeons. Er-- no offense to you, dude," he said to Rantaro, who took it in stride.

            "Tsumugi also make disguises for us," Gonta added. "And Gonta don't remember Tsumugi sabotaging anything."

            "Exactly, Gonta!" said Kaito.

            An obnoxious whistling came from Kokichi's lips. "I was wondering why you brought back a dumb giant like Gonta, but I should've guessed it was to have your own personal lackey. It takes an idiot to work with an idiot, after all."

            "What did you say?!" he growled, fist already up.

            "Kokichi!" Shuichi said, glaring at him. "We're trying to talk things out, not egg each other on."

            "Actually," Maki began. "He kind of has a point, as much as I hate to admit it."

            Betrayal laced Kaito's voice. "Maki Roll?" 

            She fidgeted with one of her pigtails. "Don't misunderstand. Gonta's been very helpful, and we probably wouldn't have gotten this far without him. I do agree that he really has no business here though."

            "Why?" Gonta asked. "Did Gonta do something wrong?"

            "That's not it," Maki assured. "We made you come down here, away from your father, and now you're miles away from him. You barely even know any of us. Doesn't that seem unfair to you?"

            "Gonta very late to lunch, but he sure father understand," he said confidently. "It to help friends wake up everyone."

            Friends. While possibly too strong a word, there was a camaraderie that came with traversing across the land together, even if they didn't all get along. They all looked at each other, some very familiar and some new, but they all had the same goal.

            An exaggerated sigh came from Kokichi. "Fine then, we'll stay. Since we're _such_ good friends and all, right Miu?"

            She scoffed. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. And I would like to say that I fucking knew you had a scented spindle fetish all along, Slutmugi!"

            "I don't have a fetish," Tsumugi said weakly, but she smiled a tiny bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am proud to say that we are probably half-way through the story already! I'm thinking that this might be over 20 chapters longs when I'm done with it, maybe 30. It was extremely fun trying to write everyone's interactions, though I'm sure some of them are OOC. In any case, thanks for reading and have a great day (or night).
> 
> P.S. That nail painting scene was indeed inspired by that event in the game.


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